PASS IT ON

[Guest guest]

My theory of the give and receive question is

Pass it on ...

I am, by nature a giver. I get FAR more out of giving to others than

receiving. I drive my family nuts at Christmas, because I keep

forgetting to open my gifts until I see other reactions.

I know that sometimes, when I try to help someone out, I am going to

encounter an embarrasment or almost refusal .... so

When I approach the situation, I start by telling the person ... " in

the past, I needed help and someone stepped up ... I could never pay

them back, so I am just passing it on. Please, when you can offer

help of ANY KIND to someone, that is what I want you to do ... Pass

it on. Eventually, it will make the circle. "

That really seems to help. Sometimes I get a call out of the blue

from someone who calls me to tell me that they just passed on my

kindness. That has happened 3 times and it is so much better than

getting something in return.

I think I inherited this from my mother.

This is really off topic and very personal, but I think it fits ...

I am one of 14 children (No. 13 to be exact born on a Friday)

When I was 7, my father died of cancer. That Christmas was so

difficult for my mother, and she did not know what she was going to

do. On Christmas Eve, we had gone to bed and my mother was sitting

in the livingroom when there was a knock at the door. A man asked

her if the kids were in bed. She said yes. He explained he was from

the St. De Society of our Church and would like to bring

in some gifts.

4 people brought a complete Turkey Dinner for Christmas and 3 gifts

for each of us wrapped. Also 3 gifts for my mother. She said they

were there less than 10 minutes, and she was so overwhelmed that she

is not sure she thanked them enough (knowing my mom, I am POSITIVE

she did).

The following morning was unbelievable. My Mom watched us open gifts

she had no part of picking, and she never forgot the kindness of

strangers.

All my mothers life, she did little stuff for people. She could

never afford to give money, but she would wrap Christmas Gifts for

friends when they had sickness in their house, took kids and watched

them, cleaned a room, did all kinds of " little stuff " that did not

seem like much. She always encouraged us to do that too .. go to the

store for a neighbor and NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING for it! I asked her

what this was all about, and she told me, she was just trying

to " Pass on the kindness of strangers. "

That made a HUGE impact on my life. I think I have also passed that

on to my kids, I know they are very kind adults.

If we could only get this to be a real movement, perhaps the world

would not be so violent and disturbing.

Just Pass On A Kindness ... you never know where it will lead!

Thank you Mom!

Overly sentimental Kathie in Pittsburgh