I did something today. Around Christmas I always make sure to make a donation to something, or someone. This year, I went down to my local K-mart and headed over to the Layaway center and paid off the balances of two random people's accounts. I got this idea from from a news article somewhere. If you google 'layaway angels', you can read about many positive stories.
I'm not posting this looking because I'm looking for praise. I'm posting this to challenge people and to remind people to help. Whether it's donating thousands of dollars to a cause, or something as simple as holding a door for someone, these acts of goodwill can make all the difference in the world to someone. Please try to find a way to make a positive difference in someone's life this Holiday Season and everyday after.....
That was a very generous thing for you to do. I have been doing random acts of kindness since 2003. Although I do not do large amounts of money, I have chosen to help several people throughout the year. I started doing this when I fell on hard times and a friend of mine helped me out. From that time on, I decided I would do something to help brighten someones day. No one in my family knows that I do this and neither do my coworkers. I keep a "black book" record of all things that I have done since 2003. It does not contain any names just a description of the person, location and what I did along with the dollar amount. One story I will tell about stopping in a restaurant for breakfast. There was an Ohio State patrol trooper eating breakfast. This trooper was a regular customer there and I had seen him there numerous times. One morning I told the waitress to bring me his check as I was buying his breakfast. When he was ready to leave, he went to the register and the waitress told him that it had been taken care. When he left, he wished all the other customers a Merry Christmas. Fast forward to the middle of January. I was eating breakfast and about 20 mins later he was leaving but before he left, he stopped at my table and asked how I was doing. He then wanted to know why I bought him breakfast and for me not to lie to him. He had already asked the other customers in the previous weeks and I was the last person he needed to talk to. I knew he "caught" me and I couldn't lie out of it. I explained that when I was younger I wanted to be a State trooper but did not meet the height and weight requirements and I wanted to show my thanks to those that help keep are highways safe. He thanked me for doing it but that I didn't need to do that. I told him that it was something that I wanted to do, and that it was not in any to be construed with trying to get out of a ticket if I was caught speeding. I continue to do random acts of kindness throughout the year and since 2003 I have a record of a little over $5,000 that I have spent. It is something I enjoy doing and will continue doing this until the day I die.
[This message has been edited by Jims 84 (edited 12-22-2012).]
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09:29 PM
MidEngineManiac Member
Posts: 29566 From: Some unacceptable view Registered: Feb 2007
I have been waiving labor charges for some of my clients for the past week or so....some of these people are in their 80's and 90's and have had the same machine for 30, 40, even 50 years. We only charge 100 bucks (plus parts) for a full refurb which I never mind charging working people with a mercedes and bmw...but it never did seem right to charge that much to old retired people who have given decades of customer loyalty.
this year we talked to our kids about the local angel tree at the mall which is through the salvation amy for toys for needy kids. I took them to Toys R us and we picked out some toys and took them there to donate to the tree .
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06 Audi A3 3.2 S-Line 06 VW GTi 2.0t 99 Explorer Eddie Bauer 5.0 AWD
Originally posted by AkursedX: I'm not posting this looking because I'm looking for praise.
Tough crap--You're gonna get praise anyway.
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Please try to find a way to make a positive difference in someone's this Holiday Season and everyday after.....
Merry Christmas to all.
You're a good man X for taking the time and going to the trouble and expense when you could have just as easily spent both on yourself. Some people don't care. Some people care--and enough to actually make a difference.
Some do seriously look at it like that I suppose, as a justification/rationalization for not doing something similar to what AkusedX did. People help for no reason and no expectations--people don't, for ANY reason they can conjure up and that reason can usually be seen in a mirror. Help if ya can--if ya truly don't have the financial or physical means--then thoughts are good--but don't claim "I can't" then go buy a new Evinrude the next day.
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11:29 AM
PFF
System Bot
Khw Member
Posts: 11139 From: South Weber, UT. U.S.A. Registered: Jun 2008
this year we talked to our kids about the local angel tree at the mall which is through the salvation amy for toys for needy kids. I took them to Toys R us and we picked out some toys and took them there to donate to the tree .
This is one of the things we do. At our local grocery stores, our church and other buisnesses there will be Christmas tree's set up with tags on them. The tag is from a younger boy or girl and it has a "wish" item on it. Usually it's something like "Debbie, 14 Y.O. Girl, Eyeshadow makeup" or "Devin 8 Y.O. Boy, Legos". You take the tag from the tree, purchase the item and return it to the place you got the tag from along with the tag so they know which child to give it to. For our church we will wrap the gift. We can't afford some of the things the kids ask for, but a box of legos or a $10-20 eye makeup kit we can do.
Something I've considered doing, because it's been done to us, is buying a couple of $25 gift cards at a grocery store and giving them to people that really look like they could use the help in the store.
you do realize that you're enabling the decline of personal responsibility, right?
I disagree. If the people didn't ask for help, they aren't just assuming someone else will pay. They have every intention of paying... and someone else went in and changed that.
It will be a surprise to them, and I think it's awesome.
Try a local pharmacy.. ask the pharmasist who needs help with some prescription bills. They cant tell you names, but you can pay anon.. I did that a few years ago for an elderly couple we know. They had almost a $600 tab at the pharmacy.
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05:50 PM
Stubby79 Member
Posts: 7064 From: GFY county, FY. Registered: Aug 2008
