I had an experience yesterday that I had to share.
On my drive back from South Bend, Indiana to Chicago Midway airport, I encountered an unexpected act of kindness directed toward me. As I was pulling up to a toll booth on I-90, the attendant gave me a big smile, raised the gate arm, and said, "You can go. The car in front of you paid for your toll!"
"What was that?" I replied. I'm sure I heard her. I'm sure I understood her completely. But what she said caught me off guard. How nice! How thoughtful! How random! "How much is the toll?" I inquired. "A dollar twenty-five." Okay, so it wasn't some huge sum that may force the giver into bankruptcy (we'll leave that to our economy). But, it was generous and kind.
You can imagine the excitement I sensed when only about 5 miles down the freeway, I was approaching another toll stop. (By the way, what's up with all the toll booths along run-down roads and bridges? Isn't that what taxes are for?!) Now it was MY turn! Should I or shouldn't I? Of course I should!
"That'll be three dollars, please," said the attendant as I pulled up to the gate. I was holding a $10 bill, so I knew I could cover two tolls.
"Please take enough for my toll and the car behind me," I said. She didn't flinch, but rather promptly handed me four $1 dollar bills and waved me on my way. I immediately got the sense that "paying it backward" was likely a common occurence and that the attendents aren't overly awed by the occassionaly generosity of some drivers.
But I was.
This really made me think. How many simple opportunities do we encounter each day to do a little something for someone who isn't expecting it in the least? Why not:
- Let everyone who is merging come in right in front of you
- Drop a quarter into a driver's expired parking meter (got that one from a Subaru commercial)
- Give a spontaneous massage (appropriate to the relationship, of course)
- Leave that extra friendly and helpful grocery store clerk a tip
- Write your kid's teacher a Thank You note, just for being a teacher
Maybe my anonymous benefactor was warming up for Valentine's Day. Maybe that's just who they are? Maybe that's who we all should become.
