A funny thing happened on my way to feeling sorry for myself...

This story actually started a year ago. My husband and I decided we were done with apartment living. That is when we found a house to rent. I fell in love with it from the first time I saw it. But the odds of us getting it were slim. Then we did! It had been a long time since I lived somewhere I would label as "home". And this may be the first home we had that I felt an emotional connection to. So, when we got the news that our lease would NOT be renewed for a second year it was more than shock that engulfed me.

Fortunately, the news came when I was in a place of being thankful regardless of the circumstances swirling around me. And, I am still very thankful. Our landlords have been wonderful and we rejoice in their ability to retire early and move to Florida to enjoy their home. I am thankful for the year we have had here and the memories we made.

But this past Saturday, as I invested 6+ hours in trying to find a new place to live, I began to let the circumstances overwhelm me. The rental landscape has changed substantially in the past twelve months. A LOT less space...for a LOT more money. Place after place, neighborhood after neighborhood, only served to make my mood spiral downward.

I decided I needed ice cream to wallow in my sorrow with. I went to this cute place that I've always wanted to try but being close to it, I had a feeling the conditions inside were less than sanitary. So I drove off without getting out of my car. Needless to say this did not help my mood improve. Then I saw it, it glowed brighter than I've ever noticed before, a big DQ! I knew this lifeline of happiness was put there just for me. I parked the car and went in.

Yay! There was only one person in line. After a short time a GIANT of a man came in. He walked up to the counter in front of the person I was behind. I remember thinking "this man may be big, but with my mood, he better NOT come between me and my ice cream".

It was about 5 minutes before he realized what he had done. I was becoming annoyed not just by his presence, but by the fact that this ONE person in line was not moving yet. The giant said something about skipping in front of me as he got in line behind me. I decided to make a joke and said, "thank you, I was sure it would get ugly when I took you down". He laughed with a laugh that equaled his size and said, "I would have liked to see you try." I was glad he had a sense of humor.

The person in front of us was having a hard time paying for the meal he just bought. Annoyed again, I was thinking that if he wanted to buy food he should have gone somewhere else. DQ is for ICE CREAM! The only employee who seemed to be working at this time could not get this man's charge card to work. The man insisted it was good, he just used it to get gas in his car. The employee tried and tried. Was it 5 minutes, or maybe 10 by now? It felt like an hour. I could see the ice cream, I needed it and all that stood between me and what I wanted was this person in front of me. $7.27, that is what he owed. He asked if there was an ATM near by. But there wasn't. So I took out my wallet and handed the clerk a $20. "My treat, please use this to pay for his purchase." The man was overwhelmed and fairly embarrassed. He said "Oh no, that isn't necessary". I said, "I insist, it would be my privilege". It came out with the kindest, most sincere voice I ever heard myself use. Not sure where that came from because that wasn't the way I was feeling.

The giant behind me was deeply touched by this "act of kindness". I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was just trying to get rid of the guy so I could get my ice cream. The giant said, "what a rare act of kindness, so glad I was here to witness it". Now, I was the one embarrassed.

I ordered my blizzard and the giant insisted on paying for it. "Pay it forward", he said.

My mood was improved, not by the ice cream because I hadn't even taken a bite yet, just by the circumstances that surrounded getting it.

I left with a smile on my face and an ice cream in my hand. It doesn't get much better than that!  :)