Tag Archives: pay it forward

happiness

Our hometown

When we moved back home last spring I made a very conscious decision that I wanted Cochrane to be our hometown. That’s part of the reason why I arranged for the kids to go to school there, and it’s why we do as much of our shopping and visiting in town as possible.

I have always loved Cochrane, many of my early childhood memories are of events in and around town. I was part of the Cochrane Pony Club for many years, my parents (conveniently) had their law office next door to Mackays for a while, my Grandma lived at the Big Hill Lodge after living out in the country full time became too difficult. I remember parades and rodeos, but mostly I know it’s a place where I can go and always see someone I know.  After years of living away, being where I know people is a big deal. In fact, when we came back I told the kids that every time we went into town we would see some relative. At first they didn’t believe me, but soon they saw that I was in fact telling the truth. I hope it reminds them to behave when they’re out and about without me.

Since coming back, I have joined several Cochrane community groups on Facebook. Something I have noticed over the past couple of days is the fact that many people are raving about random acts of kindness happening in our town. People are leaving Christmas goodies at the doorsteps of those who have beautiful lights on their house as a way to say thank you for sharing the beauty. People are buying each other coffee at Tim Horton’s. One lady bought a tree from Save On and found a pay it forward gift card attached to her tree. There are families who are organizing full Christmas celebrations (gifts and food) to be provided for other families who are having a difficult year.  I love that not only are these beautiful, heartfelt, loving acts being performed, but that people are taking the time to publicly give thanks and acknowledge these wonderful deeds.

How great would the world be if we were all like this all the time? This loving kindness being showered around my hometown is my happiness moment for the day.

photo snagged from tripadvisor.ca 

Cochrane Ranche Park: Men of Vision statue

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happiness

Pay it forward (West Jet Christmas)

Today we got to prove the fact that it is actually better to give than it is to receive (although it was pretty awesome to receive as well). Jacob and I made our morning run to Tim Horton’s and fell into a delightful and unexpected happiness moment. First of all, a kind gentleman came up and held the door for us to go in (this happens a lot here, the customers have great manners). Then when we went to the till and two ladies came running up, barely able to contain themselves with their giggles, and announced that they were buying our coffee for us.

It’s West Jet’s mini-miracles day and they were doing their part to pay it forward. They jumped around, huge smiles on their faces, as they explained what they were doing and we took a group selfie so they could post it on Instagram.

When Jacob got his coffee and we sat down we could still hear them at their table giggling away and trying to upload the picture with all the right tags. I said to Jacob that even though we had thoroughly appreciated their kindness, it really seemed that they had received a lot more from their gift than we had. He looked over at them with their heads together laughing as they talked about what they had done and agreed with me.

As we were getting ready to go a lady walked into Tim’s and I said to Jacob that he should go buy her coffee. He grabbed my money and ran over to her as she stood at the till. I couldn’t hear them, but I saw him jumping up and down with excitement (just like the ladies before had done with us) and I saw a huge smile come across the lady’s face. Jacob said afterwards that she had said to him that he had made her whole day.

All the way to Jacob’s school he smiled and bounced and talked about how wonderful he felt having done something nice for someone else.

He had both received an act of kindness and given one within a half hour. He was thrilled to have been given the free coffee, it made his soul sing to have given one to someone else.

Both giving and getting are pretty sweet, but the feeling is euphoric when you  surprise someone by doing a small kind act for them. It may sound cliche, but happiness really is contagious and it is easy to spread.

If you can, make someone happy today by performing a small act of kindness. It makes for an awesome happiness moment.

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Pay it Forward, Share the Love

This morning I ended up doing a walk by myself. For the past few weeks I have been walking with a friend which is lovely, but today she couldn’t come and I went to enjoy a walk along the river solo. I was walking over the bridge and saw a very happy looking lady walking towards me. It is normal for us walkers to give a smile and “good morning” as we pass each other and I was getting ready to do so to this happy lady when she stopped, looked at me and said “Melissa?” It was my Pastor, dressed in her workout clothes with headphones in happily bopping away to music on her morning walk. We stood and chatted a bit and then each carried on our way, both of us saying if we stopped too long we’d never get up the motivation to start again. 

I reached my halfway point and was on my way back when I saw her coming towards me again. I was glad because although we’d had a nice chat, I had been wanting to talk to her and had completely forgotten what I had wanted to say when I first saw her. (I’m not a morning person.) 

We both said how much we enjoyed our walk and how beautiful the day was, as she was turning to go I stopped her and said that I’d been wanting to talk to her, and had been meaning to drop in to the church to see her but never seemed to actually do it. I said that I wanted her to know what an important person she was to me and how much she’s helped me, balanced me, and taught me in the time I’ve been here. That I am so thankful that she is in my life and what a blessing getting to know her has been. She was full of emotion and gave me a big hug and thanked me for saying that, that it made her heart happy to hear it.

I left feeling very joyful that I had shared with her how I felt, and again very thankful that I did have her in my life. She is a lovely lady. I said about her yesterday that she is a Woman of God and would be one whether she was a Pastor or not. She lives by her morals. 

As proof that when you give out something to the Universe you get it back, when I got home I had a message from Jenna’s teacher. She left me a long text saying how much she loved having Jenna in her class, how she was just pure joy, kindness and happiness to teach and get to know, and how lucky she felt to have been able to spend the past year with Jenna. 

It was such an uplifting way to start the day. Everyone that I saw after that also seemed happy and joyful. Whether that was because I was in an elated state to notice it, or if the Happy Virus is spreading through town I will never know. But Today is a great day to pay it forward and share the love!

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