Pay It Forward: We All Struggle Sometimes

I’m not going to start with the line, “In these difficult and pressing times.” Though they may be difficult, the line is burned and I’m frankly probably as tired of hearing it as you are.

As a refresher to maybe a new reader, or someone who’s never read a single article of mine before, I work in a grocery store away from the microphone. It wasn’t originally my choice, but I’ve learned I don’t mind helping stock the shelves or even ring up your groceries.

On one of my third shifts this weekend, the one and only time I ever worked that shift might I add, I saw something that reminded me to pay it forward.

I saw someone’s card get declined while I was up front learning more about some of the checkout lanes we have. Originally, I had believed it might’ve been the computer, because when can you ever trust a computer completely?

My coworker then informed me that the error wasn’t on the computer’s end, it was on the customer’s end. He didn’t have much in groceries but didn’t have any other form of payment on him either. It’s a situation none of us want to be in, but this man was.

Another customer had grabbed my attention for a second or two, and I had come back to figure out what my coworker had tried to do for this man, as they both were still standing and talking.

She had made it possible for this man to walk out of the store with roughly eleven dollars in groceries and just asked the man to pay it forward.

The look on the man’s face was pure shock. He looked as if he was about to cry, and I could tell this clearly made his day.

Seeing things like that, and being able to do things like that in a pandemic world, or the old “normal world,” is what we need more of. Because, at the end of the day, we are all struggling. We are all just trying.

So, as I wrap this article up, I just want to ask you to pay it forward. Whether it be something big, or something small. Just pay it forward. Sometimes, even when we aren't in a pandemic, people may be facing difficulties that we don't know about and just need a little help.