Sometimes social media can be good for us. I was inspired by a post I saw on my LinkedIn feed. On Pay It Forward Day, a group of Steak ‘n Shake employees decided to buy one customer’s meal. That single act initiated a chain reaction of kindness that just kept giving.
Pay It Forward Day is at the end of April. The day is based on the idea that a single act of kindness will create a ripple effect which will lead to an exponential number of acts of kindness that will continue to multiply.
A group of employees at the Steak ‘n Shake in Downers Grove, IL decided to give it a try. The response was overwhelming.
1. The employees initiated this act of kindness. No one asked them to do it. The company did not plan it.
2. There is pure joy on their faces. With their generosity, they made their work more meaningful and rewarding.
3. Pay It Forward worked! Their single act of kindness led to a day-long giving chain. One car after another, surprised customers received a free meal and then passed it along to the next.
The funny thing is…my brother lives in Downers Grove, and I was going there for my niece’s graduation. Obviously, I had to stop in.
My time was limited, and I was visiting on a weekend. The employees involved work weekdays, so I didn’t get to meet them. However, now their manager knows that their act of kindness made it all the way to New York–if not farther.
I do a lot of research on kindness, so I’m lucky. My social media feed is full of good deeds, uplifting moments, and cute animal reels. But this post really struck a chord. We really can make a difference anywhere and at any time in our lives.
It all just makes you feel better about our world, doesn’t it?
