I gave my key away today. It was the most humbling and deep thing I think I have done. I wasn't expecting my emotions to be so strong when giving it away, but I have to admit, it got to me. I held my emotions together while giving it to this young girl but afterward I started getting a huge rush of complex emotions that just consumed me as I got into my car.
Now, my story:
I was sitting at home this early afternoon when I decided I wanted to go get some lunch. I was not sure on where to go. I wanted either some Mexican cuisine or some more American sort. I ended up choosing to go eat at Applebee's. I remember thinking that I was having this feeling of I am being drawn to go there. I went in and sat at the bar and saw one of my regular bartenders and said hello along with some small talk. I placed my order and was scrolling through my Facebook news feed when this young girl came in and asked if she could sit next to me. I said "of course." She sat and ordered a Margarita. I was still scrolling through my news feed when i overheard her short conversation with the bartender.
Bartender asked, "Are you OK?" Girl says, "I am drinking alone, no I am not OK."
I kept sitting there and thinking to myself, I hope this girl is OK. I turned to her and asked if she wanted to talk and that even thought she doesn't know me, I would listen. She said she didn't want to talk but if she did, she would just cry. I said back to her that it was OK to cry.
I received my food and was eating and still thinking to myself that man I wish i could do something. I decided that I would pay for her drink without letting her know. I also, in this moment, I took off my Giving Key necklace and placed it next to my plate. I started going through my mind, how should I do this?
My word on my Giving Key is BELIEVE. BELIEVE, to me, is a very powerful word. It could mean anything! BELIEVE in yourself, BELIEVE in others, BELIEVE in the power of giving.....
I paid my bill and turned to her and said " I do not know you. I do not know what your situation is and I do not need to know. I can see that you aren't having a very good day. I want you to have this Giving Key. The word on this key is BELIEVE. I want to give this to you. I want you to BELIEVE that things can and will get better for you."
I also gave a brief description on The Giving Keys. I told her about what it is and what she is to do next. As I was talking to her about this, she was looking at me with tears in her eyes but interested in what I was saying. She was surprised, seemed taken a back that a stranger seemed to care enough to even ask her if she was OK. I gave her a hug and I left. I hope my message to her helped in some way. I will probably never know if it helped but I BELIEVE it will.
The power of THE GIVING KEYS is real!
I think this has helped me just as much as it may have helped her today.
