Hello lovelies! As you can see this topic is about paying it forward. Now, what does it mean to pay it forward? Well, if you google it, you will see that it says, “respond to a person’s kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else.” It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? But if that were the case then how come not more people are doing it? Think about it, kindness costs nothing – it’s free and allows us to bless another person by being a true example of God’s unconditional love for us. Isn’t this what we as Christian women should be doing? Displaying random acts of kindness thus making the world we live in a warmer place. Teaching our children that being kind is a strength and not a weakness.
I have never really liked talking about what I do to pay it forward as I never want to seem as though I’m being boastful, I believe that we don’t need to tell the world about the good that we do because God already knows about it and that’s all that matters. However, with that said, I have been toying with this story and whether I should use it for a blog or not for the reasons above, but its been on my heart so much that I want to share, because I feel in my heart that someone needs to be reminded that there is kindness in the world and that there are people out there that do not expect anything in return. Perhaps there is even someone reading this that needs a different reminder, that you can display kindness without expecting anything in return and that it feels really good too.
A few weeks ago, I had to go to Joburg for an event and when standing in the queue to check into my hotel, I overheard a lady on the phone behind me who sounded so panicked and stressed. When she put down her phone, I had this feeling to ask her if everything was okay. So, I did. It turns out she was going to the same function as me and whilst I was checking into my room to get ready and showered for the event, she was standing in the queue being told that her office changed the hotel booking and failed to notify her of that. It was about 2 hours at most before we had to be at the function and there was no time for her to still drive in peak Joburg traffic to the correct hotel and still get ready and make it back on time. So, I asked her if there was anything I can do to help and after she explained the above dilemma, I said to her that I was about to check into my room and even though she doesn’t know me she would be more than welcome to come and get ready there seems as though we going to end up at the same function anyway.
I don’t think I will ever forget the look of astonishment on her face. It makes me giggle just thinking of it. She couldn’t believe that I would be so kind, a stranger. After we headed up to the room to get ready, we got chatting and it ended up being such a lovely evening sharing about each other and then I realized that I didn’t even know her name! Here I invited this complete stranger whom I didn’t even know the name to, to get ready because she didn’t have anywhere to go. She kept saying thank you and that she couldn’t believe my kindness to her. But what I told her was that I didn’t need a thank you, I didn’t need any form of payment, I was happy to help a sister in need. I explained to her what we do at Steadfast Sisters and that we believe in creating a sisterhood of women who are truly there for each other and support each other just as you would your own sister. All I ask is that she pays it forward. When she comes across a sister that needs help, that she is there for her and tells her to do the same – to pay it forward. She was so grateful and that warmed my heart. I helped her zip her dress and off we went to the red-carpet event and that was the last time I saw her, but I had the best time.
All I want is to be an example to my children, to young girls and women of all ages, that it doesn’t matter what you have or don’t have, what you look like, what color you are – just be kind to one another. Pay it forward and help a sister, you never know how you could change her life by showing her kindness.
“BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL WOMAN IS A TRIBE OF OTHER SUCCESSFUL WOMEN, WHO HAVE HER BACK.”
I want to challenge you to be part of the tribe, we don’t need to know each other, we don’t even need to know each other’s name, but just know that if you need me, I have your back and I know that you have mine too.
If every reader can perform one random act of kindness and tell that person to pass it on, can you imagine the beautiful wave of change that will take place.
Love you to the moon and back sisters.
Nats
xoxo
