Almost a month ago I wrote about Betty and her struggles with unloading her groceries. That after she informed me that it was her first shopping trip without her husband who had just passed away.
Honestly Betty helped spur our entire Pay It Forward Curation Contest which is now in week 4 and doing amazing. The thought of how such a simple act as unloading a grocery cart could effect someone so deeply opened my eyes to the idea that more can be done on steemit to help others.
Now this isn't about my contest even though it's part of the story, but rather just a quick update about Betty. My posts tend to center around the business at hand, but sometimes you get a little glimpse into who I am with posts like these.
There She Was
While at the store grabbing a few quick items right off the bat I noticed an older lady trying to reach the bread that was on the top shelf. As I asked if she needed a hand she turned towards me and the biggest smile came over her face. It was Betty! She looked up at me and said you must be my guardian angle, yes I could use a hand. After a quick hug we walked the entire store together. My 10 minute trip turned into nearly an hour.
She told me how she had been telling anyone and everyone about how I had helped her that night and was there for her in her time of need. How lost she was feeling that night and that I was exactly what she needed at that moment in time. We walked the store together and she kept talking about life, her late husband, and what she had been doing in the last month.
Betty is now Helping Others
Something that Betty started doing with her time is to visit with other widows from church a couple times a week to see how they are doing. She said that my few minutes spent with her that night made her realize that she probably isn't the only one feeling completely lost and in need of a hand and a hug.
Swear it took everything not to tear up in the middle of the grocery store when she told me that. My couple minutes took her from being lost (her words) to finding some purpose. Now she is out there touching the lives of others in their time of need. Talk about the true domino effect of the Pay It Forward Movement!
I then told her about how I had shared her story and it has turned into a contest to help out people who are getting started in blogging...to which she had a blank look on her face, so I said it all about helping people who are trying really hard get more recognition for their efforts. While she doesn't understand blogging and no way we were talking cryto, she understood helping people and that was all that mattered to her. At this point we were loading her groceries into her car and I got yet another hug.
She told me to make sure to keep helping others and good things will come. Must say they already have as this made me very proud and happy to hear about how Betty has found a new passion and knowing that she is out there inspired by my kindness helping other people.
Please Do Your Part
Now think about this for a minute. A 5 minute interaction with stranger has spurred a contest that has touched at least 200 people even if in a small way on my end and who knows how much impact Betty visiting widows will have but I know those who she visits will greatly benefit from her time spent with them.
| We truly don't know how much impact we can have on the world when we set out to do something positive. Once again I will challenge each of your to go out and find someone you can lend a helping hand to. No kind gesture is to small! |
|---|