By Adam McManus

Listen to Adam’s  This I Believe.

I believe in picking up a meal for the car behind you in the drive-through. If you’re lucky, you have been in the situation where you drive up to the window and pull out your wallet, only to have the attendant say the person ahead has picked up your order. I can tell you, it is a wonderful experience. There is nothing more faith-restoring in humanity than when someone goes out of their way to help you without being asked and expecting no recognition. I believe that picking up a meal for someone else is an enriching experience. I believe that it bolsters humanity, in a sort of chain reaction. That person you helped will go on and help someone else, perhaps in an even more meaningful way. Your actions will propagate through society, inciting new actions. 

One time, on a rather uneventful day, not too long ago, I was in the drive-through at Tim-Hortons. I ordered my typical lightly toasted bagel with cream cheese and slowly inched forwards to the window. Now, until this day, I hadn’t given much thought to buying something for the person behind me–it seemed nonsensical. But there I was, waiting in line, oblivious to the way my day was about to change. I drove up to the window and heard the words, “he paid for your order.” I, with some shock, said “really?” The employee went on to explain that it happens often and that she loved being the one to tell people. It is not an exaggeration to say my day was brightened by this person’s actions but it would be to say that this alone changed my life. What changed my life was my newfound ability to spread good in the world. In the coming days and weeks, I discovered how rewarding the experience of helping others can be. This “mystery person” opened me up to a world of new opportunities to brighten others’ days and with that, I took my small place in helping to brighten the world. It doesn’t have to stop at the end of the drive-through. I took this mentality on, pledging to do better by other people where I could.

I believe in a gift-based society in which I give you a gift today knowing that someone, on some other day, will give someone else a gift in return. Everything we do has effects on other people, and I believe that we have a duty to spread our joy, so that, when we are down, others can spread theirs. I believe that my own self worth doesn’t come from material possessions or intelligence or physical prowess, but from the impact, I have on others and the world around me. Picking up someone else’s order is an exercise in humanity, and it positively affects the world around me at comparatively little cost.  I believe that picking up someone else’s burden every once in a while can make you better at carrying your own. Once I performed one act of kindness, each following one felt easier. Coffee and bagels expanded to larger goals of empathy and kindness. I believe that no matter how bad you think you have it, someone has got it worse, so go brighten their day, go carry their burden and, with them, help carry the world. That is why I believe in picking up a meal for the car behind you in the drive-through.