Valentines Day Challenge

[fastliketurtle]

Dear Friends,

The power of human connection is a strong motivational force. There are many people in this world who are alone. They are in their own heads struggling to find reason to press forward. Its been so long since they experienced the touch of another human being. This Valentines day I challenge you to give a valentines day gift along with a card to a completely random stranger saying simply "Love is an selfless unconditional expression of caring, This gift is for you... I hope it fills your soul with warmth and motivates you to action... This day, love another!". Embrace them and let them know you love them.

The gift can be anything you want it to be. It might be something you purchase or something you do for someone. Its up to you, be creative.

Where this takes place can be anywhere... Nursing homes, Hospitals, Schools, Church, Shopping malls, Your neighborhood, etc...

Whom you do it for also doesn't matter... The elderly are an excellent choice as they may be the ones who need it the most but it can be all age groups from children to adults. The important thing is to show you care.

If you decide to participate in this challenge please reply to this post and tell us about your experience... let us know what you did, how they reacted, and how it made you feel.

[fastliketurtle]

So.... I got up this morning... did my exercise thing, took a shower, got dressed, grabbed the valentines day gift I had bought to give to a random stranger and headed out to find someone who I thought might be happy to have it. I made a stop by the trash dump to take off some garbage and while I'm there a older lady pulled up so I after a minute I went up and introduced myself and told her I'd like to give her a valentine... So I handed her the box of chocolates, teddy bear, and card. Her eye's lit up and a huge smile came across her face. I have never seen someone so happy to get a valentines day present. She told me her name was joe, she's 83 and how when she was a teenage valentines day was important to her and that this was very special to her. This made me feel really really awesome. I'm glad it made her day and so we talked a bit more getting to know each other. I gave her a hug as we parted ways and we wished each other a wonderful day. I got in my car and headed down the road with a smile on my face that couldn't be faked. I felt really really good at the moment. At that point I had remembered that a friend gave me a coupon for a free hotcake and sausage at mcdonalds good for valentines day. So I went down town to mcdonalds but realized that hotcakes and sausage would totally be against my current diet rules so I ended up giving the coupon away to a random person inside who was happy to take advantage of the offer. Now what I did next was something that I had heard about someone else doing before. I went through the drive through and ordered something for myself and paid for the person behind me as well telling the cashier to tell them I said happy valentines day. The story I had heard before is that it set off a chain reaction where everyone just started paying for the car behind them. It didn't work out that way this time. But I could tell the people behind me were happy to receive the gesture as they started waving at me once the cashier told them what I had did. So this valentines day I don't have anyone in particular to ask to be my valentine but it's been by far the most rewarding valentines day I have ever experienced.

[Alexi]

Wow, what an awesome story!

[Trey Baird]

My wife used to work at Starbucks, and personally witnessed a pay it forward event like you mentioned that went on for a few hours. It does happen from time to time, and why it doesn't happen more often it way beyond me. I guess I could make it happen too, if I wanted to!

I am happy to see your efforts to make Valentines Day a little less commericialzed!

[InterfaceLeader]

That is awesome! Really inspiring