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SALT LAKE CITY — We get a lot of "pay it forward" story submissions for this Make Your Week column.
We also recognize not everyone can pay for someone else's meal. Everyone can find a way to serve, however, whether that's financially or with your own two hands. Whatever your story, share it with us!
On watching out for one another
Glen A.
"A few Saturdays ago we had car troubles at Liberty Park. In an effort to get my 95-year-old mother out of a smoking car. I put her in her wheelchair and put her in the sun for warmth, but it was still windy.
"As I returned to the car, I noticed a young woman had stopped and given my mother her blanket and without a word walked away. A moment later several young people came by and offered her a hug and encouragement. Then a group walked by and offered her their lunch. Then another young man offered to help me get her back in the car to get out of the wind. Wow."
On paying it forward
John M.
"I was at Smith's Marketplace late Saturday night. I went to get groceries for my mom.
"She gave me a check along with her driver's license. They wouldn't accept it. The guy behind me in line ended up paying for everything which totaled $38.40. He told me he was from out of state. I told him I wanted to pay him back and he told me to pay it forward."
Joe N."I want to say that I like to buy someone’s food that’s behind me in the drive through of some of the fast food restaurants that I go through. I am writing this not as a pat on my own back or boasting what I do, but merely to show my daughter that good deeds are very important and I want her to learn to do something similar when she grows up. I want to randomly make someone’s day even though I don’t know them don’t really even see them. I just pick a time when my daughter is in the car and can feel the excitement of someone else getting a totally random surprise for something they did nothing to deserve, just to pass along a good deed to them in hopes that they will do something similar for someone else someday and maybe, just maybe someday, this will snowball into something that a lot more people will be doing.
"I hope it catches on and becomes a lesson for many other kids to continue doing when they get older. I really hope and pray that this world can be a better place with a little random act of kindness such as this."
Paul A.
"My wife was at Target in Orem doing some biweekly shopping. When she got to the register, she couldn't find her wallet. The cashier had already run everything through the register. A lady told my wife she would help with our three children while my wife searched the car and bags for her wallet.
"When she gave up trying to find it, she turned to the cashier to tell him that she would have to put everything back. The cashier handed her a receipt and told her the lady watching the kids had paid for it. The lady disappeared before my wife could thank her. We are so great full for the help and kindness of this woman."
Have you seen any moments of service or kindness? Do you want to share a story about something that made your day? Email a brief story (100 words or fewer) along with any photos or video to crosenlof@ksl.com.
