Question of the Day

by Shaker Ella Funt, a bisexual pacifist- and feminist-in-training who doesn't say much because she tends to get intimidated by all the intelligent comments around here.

Have you ever experienced a random act of kindness?

The most memorable for me was about 3 years ago. I had just gotten out of college and was working at a non-profit for practically nothing. One morning, I woke up and it was like 2 degrees outside - ok seriously, it was like 20*F outside, but it felt like 2*, and I'm originally from South Texas so sue me ;-). On top of that my car heater was broken and I had an hour commute ahead of me.

So I got almost to work, and lo, there was a Starbucks ahead of me. (I know a lot of people don't like Starbucks, but I love their hot chocolate.) So I contemplated for about 5 minutes while stuck in traffic, in a car with no heater, in the freezing weather...did I want to be nice and warm with a hot chocolate now or did I want to eat lunch later? I mean, I wasn't made of money (nor am I now) and we all know Starbucks is not cheap. But I decided warmth now trumped hunger later and headed over to the drive-thru.

I placed my order and was waiting in line, rubbing my hands together to try to keep them warm inside my gloves. I finally got to the window and went to hand the cashier my check card, and she said "Oh don't worry about it...the lady in front of you paid for yours."

Blink.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

She repeated, "The lady in front of you paid for it." Then she smiled and said, "She just asked that you remember and pay it forward when you can."

I'm not a crier (and seriously the tears probably would have frozen on my cheeks), but I got all warm and fuzzy inside - and it wasn't just the hot chocolate. On a particularly stressful day, with limited means and feeling completely frozen, I was able to be warm and eat lunch.

A couple of years later, and a very few dollars richer, I was passing through the same Starbucks drive-thru when I noticed a lady behind me in a mini-van. She looked a little frazzled - it might have had something to do with the kids in her car who did NOT look like they were behaving themselves. I got up to the window to pay for my hot chocolate (what can I say? I don't drink coffee), and I remembered what that lady had done for me. I asked the cashier, "What did the lady behind me get?" I don't remember what it was...vanilla mocha something or other. I told the cashier, "I'd like to pay for it, and if she asks, just tell her to remember and pay it forward when she can."

Although I was never able to personally thank the lady who helped me so much on that very cold morning, I like to think that by honoring her wish, I was able to thank in her a somewhat cosmic way.