Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Last year there was a very inspiring AdSense thread about helping out others during the holidays with some of the newly found income derived from AdSense.
After reading it, I was so moved and wanted to do something but decided against the normal donations to charity route.
Instead, I knew a woman at work who was a single mom and trying very hard to give her two kids a good Christmas. After getting off work each day, she would drive to a depatment store and work a second job until 10:00 at night, probably for about six bucks an hour.
I remembered having a long talk with her one day and hearing how discouraged she was with everything.
I guess I really connected with her situation because I was raised by a single mom who had to care and support me and my four brothers and sister. I remembered how depressed my mother would get.
So, about ten days before Christmas I wrote an anonymous letter to this woman telling her how much I respected her for how hard she works for her children and explaining that I had a blessed year.
I put 25 twenty-dollar-bills ($500.) and also wrote that I will never reveal myself, but if she was insistent on paying the money back, she could make the same gesture to someone else in a few years when things are better for her.
No, it wasn't a ton of money, but it was a lot for me.
I didn't see her at all until January. When we ran into each other at work for the first time, she saw me and walked up to me smiling.
She asked in a funny way if I had been busy over the holidays. I said no.
She asked if I had left something on her desk. I couldn't help but crack a smile, but I said no.
She then came up and hugged me. She told me that I would never know what it meant to her.
I denied it and walk away, still, with the stuipid smile. For some weeks after that we repeated the routine of her thanking me and me denying it with a stupid smile on my face.
The morale of my story, though, is not any of this.
The feeling I had after I left the envelope on her desk was amazing. It lasted for a month any time I thought about it.
No car, no gadget, no bank account could ever make me feel better than that gesture.
I guess I really learned for the first time about giving.
So, anyway, AdSense is still doing well for me, and I will be doing the same thing this year, although I'm not sure of the details yet.
AdSense (despite our belly aching)has helped us. It felt good to pass the good will along.
Last year, someone else's thread inspired me. Maybe this one will inspire someone else.
Buz
[edited by: Buzliteyear at 6:43 pm (utc) on Dec. 11, 2005]
Such simple gestures never fail to brighten someone elses day, I know it makes me smile.
I do this every time I go over the Bay Bridge outside San Francisco. I always pay for my toll and the car or 2 behind me. Makes me smile everytime (although I don't know if the next driver is "paying it forward")
It's gotten to the point to when I start digging for toll money, my wife gives me enough for ours and a couple more cars. I can see her out of the corner of my eye mouthing my words with a smile "and the car behind..."
The idea that people still do kind gestures, whether it be giving $2 or $2000, or something totally non-monetary altogether is what keeps me going somedays.
You definitely don't have to be rich or well off to give something back.
I remember when I used to do fundraising, it was amazing how many 6 figure earning lawyers/doctors (not all, but enough to make me remember) would laugh at the idea of making a donation, while a single mother of 3, working 2 jobs and sending her kid to university was happy to give what she could. It's all about priorities.
Cast thy bread upon the waters; for after many days thou shalt find it
When I do these little deeds (and I confess that mine are smaller than the ones i am reading here) I like to think it's a form of "moral social security" that might come back to me should one day need it :-)
I won't have a great chance of being online in the next week or so, so have a merry Christmas or whatever you are celebrating, all you greedy adsensers :-)
I love giving to a good cause, always gives you a warm feeling. Don't like the big charaties though, I prefer to give it to a small local concern which I know is going to need it more than any multi-million earning charity.
I put 25 twenty-dollar-bills ($500.) and also wrote that I will never reveal myself, but if she was insistent on paying the money back, she could make the same gesture to someone else in a few years when things are better for her.
No, it wasn't a ton of money, but it was a lot for me.
I didn't see her at all until January. When we ran into each other at work for the first time, she saw me and walked up to me smiling.
She asked in a funny way if I had been busy over the holidays. I said no.
She asked if I had left something on her desk. I couldn't help but crack a smile, but I said no. "
I can't believe it ...what people figure out to promote Google adsense or to create a thread to prove that they are Good adsense publishers doin everything in the name of no evil LOL.
The Guy said he put on her desc an anonymous folder with money,how did she find out that he was the charity?"When we ran into each other at work for the first time, she saw me and walked up to me smiling. " why did you run to each other?
Come on guys be serious ,we are old people here.
I can't believe it ...what people figure out to promote Google adsense or to create a thread to prove that they are Good adsense publishers doin everything in the name of no evil LOL.
The Guy said he put on her desc an anonymous folder with money,how did she find out that he was the charity?"When we ran into each other at work for the first time, she saw me and walked up to me smiling. " why did you run to each other?
Come on guys be serious ,we are old people here.
You can not deny nor confirm what he says. So, what makes yuo think that is a lier?
I think you are just jelous ;-), because it wasn't you (not the giver.. but the lady I mean LOL!).
Anyway, going back to the point. I'd like to think this is true and congratulate the poster for his initiative, I'd like to see more posts like this also.
Has anyone seen the movie "Pay It Forward" with "Haley Joel Osment"?, it is kind of similar idea and is one of the few movies that got my eyes wet (as this post almost did :-)), it is a very nice concept and if you haven't seen this one it is a must!.
Regardsss
Making this Earth a better place in not about 1 person doing millions of good deeds, it's about millions of people doing 1 good deed.
Bravo to all of you who are doing their part.
