Paying it Forward

I had My Boys with me at work last Monday, as they had no school and Montpelier Public Schools were open.  I'm very grateful to work in a place that welcomes My Children when need be.  Everyone is so kind to them when they're with me, people go out of their way to talk with them, and especially the people in Central Office make them feel like a part of the family. 

Their favorite pizza in Montpelier is at Positive Pie and I took them there to grab some slices for lunch.  We parked on State Street and as we walked to the restaurant, we passed another favorite lunch spot of mine Wilaiwan's, which was closed.  I explained to My Boys how much I love their authentic Thai food and hopefully the next time they come to work with me, we can eat there.

As we continued west on State Street, I heard a voice call out, "Wait, wait, this is for you!"  I turned to see Dang, one of the people that works in Wilaiwan's running down the street toward us.  She handed me two jars and said, "Happy Thanksgiving.  I know how much you love our spicy hot sauce."  With that she turned and ran off, leaving me stunned on the sidewalk.

I was blown away by the kindness and generosity Dang showed me.  My Boys could not understand what just happened, so I explained to them who Dang was, how thoughtful a gift she shared, and why it was so meaningful to me.  

We continued on to Positive Pie, where I ordered some slices and drinks to go.  While waiting, I put the two jars on the counter, prompting the woman taking my order to say, "I gotta ask, what's with the jars?"  Beaming, I explained what had just happened.  

The woman's face broke into a huge smile, as she admitted how much she too loves their food.  We both admitted to "tipping back" the bowl at the end of our meal to ensure that no scrap of food, no matter how small, is ever left behind.  We continued to chat a bit about how kind Dang's gesture was.  As I was paying for our pizza, the woman looked at me and said, "I'm so touched by this, that I'm going to do something similar to someone else today." 

I hope you're touched by kindness and choose to continue spreading it this week.