The concept of
paying it forward is not a new one. It’s likely been around in one form or
another much longer than the movie…but it’s one worth contemplating now and
then, and one that I recently saw in action and it stuck with me. My Mom was
paying it forward.
I love my Mom –
dearly. I have so many wonderful memories, so many good times at her side. So
much of who I am today (good and bad) comes from her. Over the years I’ve seen myself reflected in
her actions, sense of humor, and quirky personality traits time and time again.
She raised me to be honest and kind, firm and true to myself. My Mom is tough.
She tells it like it is. She loves NASCAR and NHR and shooting her guns at
snakes. And yet, she is a marvel in the kitchen and prepares wonderful meals
for Dad and us routinely. I’ve counted
myself blessed in many ways for having her as a mother, and recently she gave
me another example.
Since moving out
of state, she’s been the primary lawn mower in the family. Their current place
in Oklahoma sits on roughly 10 acres of land, with a pond, timber, and pasture
that she has to mow around and maintain. It is an all-day affair for her to mow
and I expect she loves it as much as I love mowing my little plot of land…which
is not at all. So it intrigued me when she mentioned in passing that she was
mowing for a neighbor of hers too. As it
turns out, one of their neighbor’s husband fell sick last winter, suffering a
heart attack and subsequent stroke. He spent several months in the hospital and
rehab facilities, before finally succumbing to his injuries and he passed away
last week. My parents had only met this neighbor officially once or twice. They
barely knew each other.
My Mom is not an
overly outgoing person. She doesn’t make fast friends. She, like myself, is
uncomfortable in large groups. And yet…she knew how people, some of them
virtual strangers, had stepped up to help us out with various things, after
Matt’s stroke. She knew how that impacted me – her daughter and so she reached
out to this neighbor. She stepped outside her own comfort zone and insisted
that she would mow their lawn for them as well.
And just like that she paid it forward. Hearing her talk about it to me,
she got a little choked up…and that’s something she rarely does. But she said
she just kept thinking about all the wonderful things, big and small, that
people did for us in our time of need and how much they touched us. She wanted to give back in whatever way she
could. I have no doubt that the neighbor is exceedingly grateful that she
didn’t have to worry about her yard while her husband was so sick. I imagine
her pulling up her driveway after a long day visiting her sick husband and
feeling relief that she had one less thing to deal with. And I imagine she was
humbled and touched by my Mom’s act of kindness.
It struck me, for
a moment, how my life…my situation has touched others. It made me remember
again some of the big and small favors people did for us that will always move
me. I have always felt unworthy of the help, and it was often hard to accept
it…but it was a beautiful example of human beings being kind to one
another…helping one another…loving one another as we were instructed to do so by
the One who loves us most. And I was deeply touched that my Mom was moved by
our story, and so many of your loving actions, to take action herself and help
out a family she barely knows. It made me grateful again for all the love and
amazing blessings we’ve known throughout our difficult times…and it made me
think that we should all be looking for ways we can step out of our own comfort
zones and pay it forward now and then.
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