Karma....

[Rowan Ailbhe]

The first night I went out in public a couple weeks ago I stopped in one of the local 7-11s....and the lady behind the counter obviously clocked this lady who was not quite, but trying hard....and gave me a big glowing smile....

Stopped in there this morning and she had added a tip jar to help fund her kids Christmas....well...I woulda added some to the pot anyhow....but she got whatever was left in my wallet this morning...

[Elizabeth G]

Hi Rowan,

Well karma certainly wasn't a b*tch this morning! That was so nice:)

Elizabeth

[alwayshave]

Rowan, thanks for paying it forward.

[Stacy Darling]

Nice Rowan, and that smile which she gave to you has made it all the way here!

Stacy!

[BrendaPDX]

Sometimes a smile can mean so much! Thanks for sharing; and giving. Brenda

[Jaylyn]

Rowan that is very kind of you. It's really feels good two ways when we give to the less fortunate. Makes us happier and helps those who receive even more. Im thinking you are also more blessed when you give. Good job as you have helped all the other CDs who might venture into her store to receive her big smile. See you gave us CDs a boost there as well. Thanks.

[MindiB]

Thank you Rowan. You got it going on. Have a great day

[Helen_Highwater]

I always think that if someone shows you a kindness it's like they hand you a baton. You then run with it until you have the opportunity to once again pass it on. If everyone does this then little acts of kindness pop-up in all our lives and the world becomes a nicer place.

[Lana Mae]

Very good, Rowan! Like you said, Karma! Hugs Lana Mae

[ginapoodle]

Rowan,

Good for you! And yes a smile is effective. And yes keeping the energy flowing is key to abundance. Had the same experience in Portland, OR last August.

cheers,

[NancySue]

Fantastic! Wish more had your spirit, especially at this time of the year. Recently, I was at my favorite gourmet burger joint (WC). The fellow behind me was counting the change he had to see what he could get. I told the counter guy that I’d pay for his lunch. At first the guy said “no thanks”. I smiled and said “too late”. He smiled, back. There’s no substitute for a genuine smile. Women smile much more than men. I try to remember this when I’m out. It works, too.

[Rowan Ailbhe]

I tend to smile automatically as Rowan....too many years as grumpy me.

[Tracii G]

I am a big proponent to paying it forward or helping less fortunate people. Its the right thing to do.
Well done Rowan

[docrobbysherry]

Rowan, your post illustrates exactly why most SA's, waitresses, and business folks accept trans and treat us nicely. Because we pay our way into their hearts!:heehee:

[LilSissyStevie]

Sorry, it doesn't count if you brag about it. Try again but don't tell anybody this time.:battingeyelashes:

[Rowan Ailbhe]

oh...thanks for that.

[sometimes_miss]

Sorry, it doesn't count if you brag about it. Try again but don't tell anybody this time.:battingeyelashes:

Sometimes we admit to doing things like that as encouragement for others to do the same. I mean, it's not like we're standing out in real life looking for admiration for our generosity. FWIW, back when Japan was devastated by the tsunami, I donated the amount of my entire paycheck to the relief effort. Why? It didn't matter to me; one paycheck more or less doesn't change my life in any way. So I posted this on a few music fan sites, encouraging others who are similarly well off, to do the same thing. Doesn't matter if it's ten dollars, or ten thousand. If you won't miss it, and it could help someone who's life has been torn apart from something they had no control over, why not?
I'll never know if what I wrote had any effect; after all, most of the people on those fan sites are teens or in their early twenties, so they don't have a lot of money to spare. But I'm also sure that there are enough like me, old and comfortable financially, who could afford to send some help to others who need it.

I'm anonymous here. No one here knows me IRL. I get nothing out of telling that I donate money, time or other stuff to the less fortunate.
But I encourage other members here to be good to other people in general, because it's the right thing to do. And I find it very disheartening as the people in my country who have the most, work so very hard to not just NOT help the less fortunate, but work to make their lives more miserable. I can almost hear it in their arguments; 'Yes, I have ten million dollars, I worked hard for it, and I want morE, moRE, mORE, MORE!!!! And YOU deserve to freeze to death because you're not ME! So I'll fire you so I can keep another $30,000, and make everyone else work harder to pick up the work you were doing!'

I don't get it.

Why is it so very hard for people who are well off to do the right thing? I'll never understand that.

[Kayliedaskope]

Lexi, I did more-or-less the same thing for a Florida resident whose home had been devastated, lost everything. She was a cosplayer who was selling off her costume accessories and collector's items for ridiculously low prices so she could feed her family. One of the things she was selling was a replica sword from a movie (the FAKK2 sword from Heavy Metal). She was only asking $60 for it, or best offer. We started talking back and forth, and she was telling me about her kid needing his meds, the uncertainty about where she was going to live, showed me pictures of her little boy clutching his favorite toy in the middle of what was left of her living room, with this bewildered look on his face ..... I could have been a prick and tried screwing her down even further on the price, but then I thought, "I still have a good-paying job and a home ... this lady has lost everything." I did some research, found out the REAL price of the sword ($250), and offered that to her instead of her asking price. At first she thought I was joking, because some people like kicking other people when they're down, but as we continued talking back and forth, she realized, "This person is really being sincere and wants to help." She couldn't stop crying and thanking me afterwards. I didn't need the sword - it was a cool collector's piece I had been looking at for a while on various sites, kept going back and forth on whether I really wanted it or not - but this was someone who really needed the help and simply wasn't getting any. Maybe it wasn't a grand sweeping effort of tens of thousands of dollars, but in my own small way, I helped someone.


There are some good people out in the world ...you just have to find them, or let them find you.

[Rowan Ailbhe]

Thank you, Ladies. I could not explain that without being defensive or overly trite.

The lady at the stop n rob is really a sweetheart....and we all know about what she is taking home. A few bucks is nothing for happy kids.....I hate to admit it, but if she had not been so nice at a very vulnerable moment for me..it might have gone under the radar.

[DMichele]

Rowan,
I see your story as a cashier showing kindness - a simple smile to you, and you responded love hoping to help the person. I commend you for opening your heart and helping a person in need. As others have said, it is important to look within ourselves and open up to helping those in need.

[Sidney]

Wonderful story. I on several occasions have been on the receiving end of that type of smile. Nice feeling you get.