If you hadn’t already guessed I am a huge fan of doing things for others. It is part of my DNA thanks to my parents. Not everyone has this in their makeup but I am ever so grateful that it is one of my gifts. I do consider it a gift. I try not to do things overtly and to bring attention to “Hey look at me!” although that does sometimes happen. When I see something that someone else has done that inspires me I like to share. So today I will share a little story I saw on a Facebook feed. (It’s not ALL politics and discord on there if you curate your feed).
I follow Molly Grantham from WBTV on Facebook and she is known for quite often highlighting really heart warming and touching stories. Recently she shared about her encounter with a young man named Tony Puczylowski who used to live in Charlotte. They became acquainted as he was a server at a restaurant that she frequented. They lost touch with each other and then out of the blue he messages her.
Tony recalls how a weekly outing when he was growing up made him realize that his father was teaching him a lesson without him really knowing it. On Saturdays they would walk to McDonald’s which was a two mile walk. On the way they would pick up trash. When they got to McDonald’s they would eat and play in the playground while their dad drank coffee and read the paper. On the way home they would pick up more trash. He looked forward to the special time with his dad but never really connected it with doing for others.
He goes on to tell about a recent experience when someone helped him out of a little jam and how grateful he was. They wouldn’t take money or even let him buy them dinner so he is doing what he can to show his gratitude. He calls it his #FillABagChallenge. He keeps a roll of garbage bags in his truck and stops to pick up trash wherever he is. What he promised these folks who helped him was that he would pick up a bag of trash in honor of each of them and he did. His goal this month is to fill a bag a day – 30 bags – to complete his #FillABagChallenge.
A pretty simple thing but one that is appreciated and something that he learned as a life lesson as a kid that he really didn’t realize. Small gesture – big impact.
I would love to read more stories like these and highlight them so if you have one please throw it my way in the comments. Remember that each comment on the blog this month goes to support our Comments for a Cause – Emergency Covid- 19 Combat Service.
If you would like to read the original Facebook post I am referring to please click here to go directly to that post.
