PRESIDENT’S CORNER
2014-May
by Kyle Jensen, MHA President
When was the last time you were lost in a moment?
It is often difficult to recognize that moment until you've had some time to look back and appreciate it. When you do have the chance to recall that moment, it's important to remember what exactly made you feel that way. My moments are often found when I'm out in nature or having a unique experience with someone.
Everything else disappears and there is a moment of clarity when you realize that nothing else matters. The fears and uncertainty of life dissolve. Some of my moments include saying, "I do" to my wife; the first time I held my son; when I lie in the park staring at the sky. In every one of these instances, I remember thinking to myself, how can life be so good?
Last week when I pulled up to a drive-thru window and was waiting for the nice cashier to take my money, I had one of these great experiences. The cashier chirped, "The people ahead of you paid it forward," as she passed my food through the window.
Confused, I looked ahead for the car—it could have been the mud-splashed truck, the Mercedes, or the minivan—which at this point was headed toward the highway. This happened to me at a time when I was very stressed with what was going on in my life. The cashier giggled, "Sir, you can take your food." I was disoriented. I felt touched. I was lost in a moment. It was in that moment that made me think about how I live my life. Am I a giver? Do I receive often? Am I the example that I want my son to follow? Am I the guy that puts a tear in my wife's eye because of who I aspire to be?
Pay it forward is a trend that is happening everywhere. It's just as likely that the preceding car will pick up your tab at a Dunkin' Donuts drive-through in Detroit or a McDonald's drive-through in Fargo. These acts of generosity are taking place at a time when the nation's legislators can't seem to speak a civil word unless reading from Dr. Seuss. The director of hospitality at Chick-fil-A, Mark Moraitakis, said, "We really don't know why it's happening but if I had to guess, I'd say there is just a lot of stuff going on in the country that people find discouraging, paying it forward is a way to counteract that." I agree with him.
The anonymity of the drive-through is what makes it especially easy to pay it forward because it dispenses with any awkwardness and suspicion about motives. You can pull away before the next car pulls up and discovers the gift that is impossible to refuse. Kindness stems from feeling blessed and wanting to share good fortune. I was told by the cashier that most want to pay it forward in gratitude to drivers who waved their car ahead of them in line or after noticing in their rearview mirror someone who was visibly upset, and they wanted to offer them a reason to smile.
"It's about giving, and letting people see not everybody is bad; there are nice people out there and maybe one small act of kindness can influence someone to make a change in our society. Are you changing your community for the positive or the negative? Step out of your comfort zone and see if you can get lost in a moment and if you can, please write me a pay it forward moment that you experienced. We will publish them in next month's "Good Will" section of the newsletter.
Stay engaged, stay encouraged, and stay connected.
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Facebook Chat Room www.facebook.com/groups/ mhneighbors
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NextDoor page www.mistletoeheights.nextdoor.com
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Webpage www.mistletoeheights.org/contact
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Next neighborhood meeting
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