Would it Matter If You Knew?

Knee jerk reactions  happen ever day in all sorts of situations. People are simply trying to be normal, but they have no clue what a stranger might be going  through. I drove the body of my niece to be buried in Montana. It was the right thing to do.  Still it was hard.

At the gas station I stopped and got gas and a coke. The man at the gas station said “Please take the coke it’s on me.” I was confused for a moment.  Then I asked “Is it because you saw the triangle sign.”

He quietly said “I am sorry for your loss.”

I replied “I am grateful for you kindness.” I put  down a twenty on the counter and said  “Pay it forward, she would have loved it.”

Little did I know that her father would stop at that same station about an hour later. The man at the gas station said “A woman with a heavy load  let me buy her a coke, but she left  a twenty because someone she loved would have wanted it that way.”

Tears came to my brother’s eyes. “That was Trenna and she loves her coke. It is my daughter she is taking home. Here’s another twenty, add it to the pot and pay it forward.”

Sheri and Dad were a couple hours behind. Stopped at that same little gas station.  The man said do you want to hear about my amazing day. He told his story and offered them the money. My Dad teared up. So  that man with the beard, he is my son. That lady who loves coke, that is my daughter. This is my other daughter. Thanks  so much for your kindess and he layed down 500.00 and said “add it to the pot and pay it forward for my granddaughter. Her body is dead, but her spirit and kindness lives will all of us.”

Why do we wait until someone dies to be kind and amazing?  Let’s assume, just for a day that everyone needs a little love and hope.