Real Life PIF Challenge

[UntamedRose]

So I stopped by the ATM this afternoon, had to get cash to pay the babysitter....
An elderly lady walked across the parking lot in front of me, she was unkempt, frail, and limping but instead of going to the ATM as I expected ..she went to the trash can beside it. Took off the top and started digging for bottle and cans.
While homelessness and people looking for recyclables to sell isnt that unusual around here, her age was.
She had to have been 80 or so..... idk where her family is or why she was in such a situation but it hit my heart as very wrong. I wouldnt want my grandmother digging for spare bottles.
So I pulled out an extra 40 and handed it to her.
Now we dont have tons of extra funds, are rich or anything(I'm a military wife and an artist that should give you an idea) but I figured she needed way it more then we did. Will it change her life, sadly not likely but maybe it will help for a bit.
It brought a smile to her face, and made her day thats for sure.

Last week I boxed up and donated well over 500.00 worth of my glass art, merchandise I could have sold and send it to kids in need. Very sick kids who desperately needed a smile, parents of kids over come with worry and stress... and my hearts will hopefully bring smiles and giggles if only for a moment.
(program is called beads of courage if you want to see what it does, really amazing program) (pss dont tell the hubby how much it was actually worth K.. 0o get me in trouble)

Now I dont type this to brag..or to get thats greats!

See in my head, the only one who will help us...is ourselves. If you not willing to help another...how can you possibly expect the same when you need it. That human compassion and love is by far the greatest force on the planet, even greater then hate and fear.
Yet only when we push it, when we let that compassion show. When we dont turn our eyes away but put out a hand to our fellow humans.
None of us alone can change the world, but we can change a day in someones life....which you never know maybe all they need. It may also be all your heart needed as well.


I type this to offer an open challenge. In one month is the PIFs second Birthday, our two's will not be temper tantrums but giggles of joy.
I challenge you for the next month...to really push it, look for it put effort into it. Let your human compassion show. Show love to strangers. Care for those who are in need....in real life not just here in PIF and ECF.
Dont look away, help out that stranger who needs it. You do see them. Help that stray dog running along the road. There are great programs all across the country get involved. Even a well placed understanding smile can change a day.
You do not need to be rich, talented or strong to help another...you simply need heart.
Acts of compassion are not a competition of whom gave more, for we all have different amount we can give. It's giving what you can, regardless of what others can.

Please record what you have done here to inspire and animate others, as I'm hoping this does you. Let see how much love we can give the world in a month.

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

Stop making me cry!

Also...I accept your challenge.

 

[Darkwitless]

I accept the challenge!

I will share a little one. In late summer DH & I were out running errands and as we came out of Aldi's a an older gentleman approached him and asked if he might be interested in buying some golf clubs. Dh was intrigued. The guy was dapper. Early 70's? Older clothes, but pressed and shirt ironed, tucked in, belt. Older car. DH walked over to the car and inside he had 2 sets of older, not expensive golf clubs. He was asking $30 for either with bag. Between the 2 of us, we had exactly $30 on us - DH paid it to him and picked a set and threw them in the van.

we don't need golf clubs. Would the boys use them, maybe? To play golf, not likely. I asked why he bought them. It was the 20th of the month, and Dh remembers his family running out of money before his dad got paid again (career army, paid once monthly) He said he just felt in his bones the guy needed the money.

Fast forward to the week before Thanksgiving, again I'm at Aldi's and the guy is in the parking lot. (I go weekly and had not seen him in between) He only approached men. All shook their heads. I couldn't help myself. I drove to a parking lot across the street and watched (I had time to kill before grabbing DS#3 from school) He finally gets in his car and drive across the street to the Dollar General and goes inside.

I waited. I see him come out and stand outside. It's starts to rain, he heads back in. I don't know why, but you know the voice...well I drove over and noticed his window was cracked open. I slipped a $20 in thru the window and it landed exactly on the seat! I hoped back in my van and pealed out of there like I stole it! lol For some reason I didn't want him to see me.

I haven't seen him since. I've always wondered what he thought when he came back out.

 

[Darkwitless]

Awwww - DS#3 & I were the 'victims" of a PIF tonight!

He had volleyball tonight and after his games I needed to gas. I had also promised him a treat of he played his best.

So we went in and I let him get a small icee. Went to pay and the woman at the counter asked what sport he played (still in uniform) and how he'd played tonight. I added that he played well which is why the special treat. She asked if he thought he'd played well. He told her yes. His best games yet this season. She said in that case, the Icee is on me.

We both just stood there a minute. Then he chimed in with "Well, thanks!" and I thanked her also.

How sweet. Sending up some positive thoughts for Miss Collen tonight!

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

I got a PIF the yesterday at the grocery! A very nice lady was in front of me with a cart FULL of stuff and I had 4 items in my cart. When she turned around and saw this, she told me to go ahead of her. I said "Are you sure?" She said, "Yes, it will be my random act of kindness for the day! " How sweet!!

 

[Enid]

I used to work for the PIF Fairy, her name was Pat Smallridge. She was the best, more fair boss ever. I learned so much working for her and she gave me opportunities to try other things, like book keeping and even meeting with the accountant and laywer. The life and resume experience was invaluable.

She owned a health food store and we had quite the weird clientele in the 90's. Pat was 74, at the time, and one of our regulars, Alberta Mae, was older than Pat. Alberta Mae had a wealth of knowledge about herbs. She'd learned from her grandmother, who was born a slave. One day Alberta told me about using a common weed as a poultice for breast cancer. She said that it pulled the cancer out, that the nearby tissue swelled up and pushed the cancer out. I must have looked disbelieving, so she took me in the bathroom and raised up her shirt and bra and showed me a giant hole in one of her breasts. She told me that in the 40/50's that there wasn't much to do about breast cancer, even if you were white.

Alberta special ordered herbs in 1 lb bags and mixed up teas and tinctures for friends and family. One day, she can in and bought a few ounces of herbs but couldn't pick up her special order because she and her husband were low on money.

Little did I know that I was about to get a new job duty. Pat found her address in the phone book, took a couple hundred out of the cash register, stuffed an envelope, gave me directions, told me to park a street away, to tape the envelope on the door, knock and then run like hell.

The next day, Alberta came in and bought her herbs. She was talking about how God is good and how an angel left money on the doorstep.

One Christmas, Pat took me aside before our company party and explained why she was giving my co-worker a much larger holiday bonus than I was getting. My co-worker was pregnant and her husband wasn't exactly doing his part. I was to act like we both got ginormous bonuses and not to get my feelings hurt because it wasn't about job performance, it was about a crappy husband.

Fast forward five years of me running like hell in various neighborhoods and Pat decided to retire and move away. I was to take one last envelope to all of the recipients. Alberta came in a few days later and told me about how God was good, an angel left money on her doorstep and here's the kicker, her neighbor saw the angel running away from the house. Pat and I stiffened upon hearing that part. The only description the neighbor could give was that the angel was white. We laughed our asses off, after Alberta left the store.

I could go on and on. My grandmother didn't have very many years left and her health was declining pretty fast. Pat gave me an extra week of paid vacation, 500 bucks in cash, the keys to her time-share at Edisto Beach and told me to take my mom and grandmother and to enjoy my grandmother while she was still in good health.

I only wish that I could grow up to be Pat Smallridge

 

[Darkwitless]

I wanna be Pat Smallridge too!

 

[Darkwitless]

A "mommy" friend I met thru a local mom's site recently posted a message that moved me to tears. It was a reminder about the power of PIF, even the small one can add up. In Dec 2010 she left her abusive hubby and moved into an apt with their son, a garbage bag of clothes (mostly her son's) 1 pan, some toiletries, 2 sleeping bags and an air mattress.

In June, just 18 months later she'll be moving again into a rental home and has so many items that she's actually going to need 2 pick up trucks to move. lol

Friends and strangers have pif'd her a sofa, a kitchen table and chairs, pots and pans, dishes, dressers, lamps, drapes, towels.


She's got her feet firmly on the ground and her head up and held high.

Each of those who pif something didn't give a lot, but together they helped her form a home.


Kind of like you guys have here. Thanks!

 

[UntamedRose]

 

[lynleestar]

I love this thread~!

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

So, I found $13 while cleaning out pants pockets for laundry. Beth's pants...cause I don't have any cash in mine So...you know...I took it. I needed to mail a package today and figured why not...no need to get into the bank account so it's all good.

I went to the post office and mailed my package. When I left, there was a woman with a tiny baby girl sitting outside with a heartbreaking sign. I gave her what was left over (sadly, it was only 9ish$) and Livi's pink fold up stroller. The look on her face...then her smile... I wish I could do something like this every single day, yet wish more that there was never a need for it.

Pay it forward people!! It's good!

 

[quittin4mykids]

Well, back in Jan of 06 my house burned, to the ground. We were not insured (house paid off, black mold claim, long story) - and the community PIF'd us SOOO much- THEN, people I had NEVEr met, except in a chat room sorta like this one, except it was on ebay, started sending me things, just stuff from their homes. Cute stuff, family stuff, old stuff, fun stuff, stuff for my kids, my hubby and me. Even stuff for the 2 dogs I had gotten out of the house. We were sooo blessed.

I have NEVER been able to repay any of that. I try to be nice, to smile at everyone, to wish everyone a good day and to give a little of myself in something each day- just to hope that one day those kind and loving souls will indeed get something in return for all they did for us.


The closest I have came, I was able to give my bow to a child in our 4-H program. We made all the kids nominate someone, then put all those names in a hat, and drew a winner- THEN we put all the nominators names in a hat and drew a winner for a Sonic gift card from that! It felt So great!! and someone told, that I had donated the bow, and that little girl was so nice and SOOO polite when she came up and Thanked me!! I really hope that through the non profit we can do more of this type thing.

 

[thehangdude]

Sometimes PIF is not about money or things. Sometimes it is just helping somebody up.

I was at the license branch yesterday. The line was long. Outside a lady had fallen down while stepping off a curb. I didn't see it, but noticed everybody looking and murmuring. Two of us went out to help. It wasn't much, just helping her to get up and getting her a chair to sit in. She was obviously a little shaken, but not hurt. She called her son, so we stayed with her until he came.

I don't understand why everybody didn't get out and help. It doesn't cost anything. We all were stuck at the BMV for hours anyway. Might as well do a good deed when one arises.

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

Two different times and two different little old ladies I found on the ground (well, one was in the bushes!) when I lived in Key West. Not another soul around, just all alone and couldn't get up. One was terrified (in the bushes), the other one was completely out of it. I asked the one I found in the bushes (after I got her up and sitting on the curb) where she lived and ran down the street and around the corner and got her son. The other one, I was so scared! I called an ambulance for her and they took her.

You did a good thing Dude. I know I hope someone like us finds me when I'm old and on the ground!

 

[classwife]

amen .

 

[geekswife]

I love this thread. I'm new to this group, but not to PIFing.. here's a couple of my stories.

Several years ago, about 2 weeks before Christmas I was in WM doing some shopping. I was strolling by the front lanes when I witnessed... magic. A lady & her daughter were checking out & purchased a gift card. The mom then stepped back into the main aisle & handed it to a woman there with only a few items in her cart. All she was purchasing was dog food, bread & a few other necessities. Then the mom & daughter just disappeared.

I got to watch the aftermath. The lady told the cashier that she would be back with her other items. See, she didn't have enough money to get the groceries she needed. All she had was enough to get her dog's food and a few things for herself. She said that she'd never seen those women before, but they were true angels. I searched frantically for that mom & daughter so I could thank them & share what I saw after they'd walked away, but they were no where to be found. If effected me immensely & spurred my own PIF future.

I knew that if I could change someone's life, even for that one day, just make things a bit easier for someone else.. it would be worth it. So I went on and did just that.

Then last year we took my car in to get the oil changed & have the inside cleaned up a bit (4 kids, my man-child and a dog had just returned from a 10 hour road trip - you can't even imagine, LOL). I went to pay when my car was ready & was told that someone had already paid for it. I couldn't believe that I was the benefactor of a PIF experience, lol. I never expected someone would swoop in and do something like that for me.

But really... that's what this is all about, right? People helping people. In small ways and in big ways. Trying to make the world a little better place.

 

[beebopnjazz]

There was a young woman who was pregnant with her 3rd child (placing for adoption), living in her mother's basement apartment (to which her mother was charging her rent), and had nothing (including being capable of being nice). Her children were 2 and 5. The 5 year old was savvy enough to realize that if he ate his entire peanut butter sandwich there would be none left for mommy - he frequently ate half of his sandwich so his mother could have some.

It was Christmas time and I was on a pretty tight budget but decided to approach my children with the thought that these 2 little ones would have no Christmas if someone didn't step up to the plate and did they think we should dip into our Christmas funds to make sure these little ones were taken care of. They heartily agreed (ages 8 and 13) - knowing fully that whatever I had budgeted for them would be reduced.

My boss had taken care of pantry-type items so that there would be plenty of food in the house and others had purchased winter coats for all of them.

We went to the toy store and bought a few toys for each child, along with hats, mittens, etc. They sat at the table with me and wrapped each gift - feeling good about the whole thing. They wanted to come with me to drop off the bag of gifts. So, after seeing some outdoor Christmas displays we went over to the house, knocked on the door and left the bag with the mother - telling her we didn't want her children to find out about Santa Claus the hard way. We then left. My children noticed that the woman didn't even say thank you - but they, nonetheless, were extremely happy that those 2 children had their own Santa Claus that year - them.

I was so proud of them!

To this day they still help fellow human beings in need.

 

[Tuck]

I handed out 6 ECF business cards today. And showed and told smokers the benefits of Vaping at the VA hospital in Wichita Kansas.
One lady showed me her Walmart bought e-cig. And i showed her how to open her carto and drip in it. I gave her 3ml of Parkes Sugar cookie I had on hand.And I put on my clean spare DT and let her take some hits of my Silver bullet.

 

[Vchick]

Some of you may know that I lost my job last year, a few months prior I got into couponing, something I previously wouldn't have wasted my time on. Over the winter I made necessary bags with personal hygene items, granola bars, small candies and kept them in the car to hand out whenever I came across someone in need. Each week that I shop I'm able to pick up items for free or close to nothing for myself as well as to donate. Here our food stamp program doesn't allow for the things that shouldn't be denied, like soap, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, etc. Today was the day to take some of my surplus to the Haven of Rest Ministries, it was indeed a "Good Friday":


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[quittin4mykids]

Not really a 'good' deed, but yesterday I was in the shower- I never take showers during the day- my kids tend to destroy things when I go pee- a shower gives them waaay too much time, and keeps me from hearing the screams. BUT with the two eldest gone I thought it was safe. I had the 7 year old and 4 year old cleaning out my truck- since I had to exchange my TV again, and we had a funeral today.

My daughter runs into the bathroom asking me if i heard that noise- It was either 'a wreck, an 18 wheeler loosing a tire or a gun shot' but since there was lots of horns honking she thought it might be a wreck.

The corner I live on (way out in the country, but its a heavy traffic crossroad), is notorious for wrecks. so I told Bertha Sue I would go down there when I got out of the shower.

3 minutes later she runs back in, says that she walked down the driveway (she knows better) and saw a tanker truck from her dads company and I had to go RIGHT NOW- because it could be daddy, or either of her two uncles.

I jumped out of the shower, cream rinse STILL in my hair, legs lathered with shaving cream, threw on jeans, a shirt, my cowboy boots and no socks and grabbed a cap on my way out the door- I walked down there and sure enough- my brother in law was there- He wasnt IN the wreck, but was sitting at the stop sign. a truck decided they didnt want to be behind him and ran the stop sign, pulling out into the highway and getting T boned.

There were quite a few folks there already, putting out a fire and starting to direct traffic, but I recognized the occupents of the T-boning truck- it was my husbands (and brother in laws) cousins- She was cut on her leg and he was up and walking but hurting. I got ahold of their daughter, and helped the EMT's (cause ONE ambulance came for 4 elderly people all of which were hurt- including one who had to be cut out by the jaws of life) it took the first ambulance over 30 minutes to arrive. the cops were another 10 or so behind them. and the other ambulances didnt arrive until AFTER the life flight. I ended up getting to help put them on backboards, put the neck brace on, find stuff in the ambulance (not as organized as you would think... ) and helped to do some basic first aid.

anyway- to make a long story short, They ended up taking hubby's cousin by helicopter instead of the woman who had been trapped in the truck, and her husband had to go to another hospital. so I was able to get ahold of more family closer to town to meet up with him- while the daughter went with her mom. But I was able to be there for family, and it was pure coinicidence.

Dont get me wrong, I would have helped the EMT's, cops and firefighters for anyone, and have helped to direct traffic before when there was a wreck, but knowing I was able to comfort family made it both scary and touching.

the worst part of course was having to call their daughter and tell her, and then having to come home and call all the elderly family members and tell them what had happened.

Luckily, they were released last night, lots of brusing, some stiches, cracked ribs, and alot of soreness- but they will be fine.

YOu can see the pics at KJAS Radio - they got the story wrong. the woman who they say was life flighted wasnt, it was the miller instead- but the pics are right.