A friend of mine named Wynn Etter used to pay the bridge toll for the car behind him when he crossed from New Jersey into Pennsylvania.

He loved to do it and to watch the reaction of many grateful drivers over the years who sped up to try to pull up beside his car and wave a gesture of thanks.

In Sunday’s New York Times, the journalist Kate Murphy wrote that Americans are being spontaneously generous these days – perhaps due to the discouraging things that are happening in our nation right now.

So in many cities in the U.S. and Canada fast food drive-thrus are seeing an unprecedented number of customers who are paying for the person’s meal in the car behind them.  There have been “pay it forward” incidents involving between 4 and 24 cars at Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Del Taco, Taco Bell, KFC and Dunkin’ Donuts in many states according to the author.

The payer pulls away before the person behind gets a chance to say thanks.  And because it is anonymous it’s not creepy because nothing is asked for in return.

Imagine if this “pay it forward” movement expanded to helping people get ahead in life with the understanding that they, too, would then one day have to give a helping hand to others.

“Pay It Forward” is not a government program, it’s not mandated, and it’s all about doing good during troubling times.

They say one person can’t change the world, but they can buy them a burger. 

“For it is in giving that we receive”  — St. Francis of Assisi

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