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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nFor a long time, I helped run a team at our local Relay for Life. For a couple of years, I was even on the committee. Our team always used to come up with some fun things for the event and it was a good way to give. We always raised quite a bit for our small group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, though, that Relay took on a new look and the event we all used to love kind of transformed into something that was no longer fun, so we stopped as a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I did still try to give and help raise money as my mother remained on the committee for a few more years and did her own \u201cteam\u201d of one to raise money. Being my father died of cancer, it was an important cause for us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there are times when you just wonder where your money goes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I love to give to local animal shelters when I can. I try to figure what could be best, though for a couple of years around Christmas, I\u2019d donate money. I knew where that was going. This past December, I helped our local dog club run a toy\/supply drive for two of our area shelters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Direct impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But sometimes people get swayed by those television commercials. Let\u2019s take for example, the ASPCA. I\u2019m not going to go deep into this because it\u2019s all over if you do a simple Google search. I\u2019m not saying you shouldn\u2019t give to the ASPCA, but maybe giving local is better. The CEO for the ASPCA makes upward of $750K a year, for a non-profit. It seems, based on a study, that an average CEO for a non-profit is around $125K. Do the math. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019d much rather give locally and know the money goes to something around me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And now to the silly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me first say, I\u2019ve \u201cpaid it forward\u201d before. I\u2019ve bought somebody their coffee. Or I\u2019ve done something a little bigger, in a way to give back to humanity and to show the good in people can still happen. But sometimes, it gets a bit out of hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you heard of these \u201cdrive-thru\u201d pay-it-forward deals? Apparently they have been pretty popular at Starbucks. Basically, it works where a car pays for the order behind them. Then that person gets asked if they want to continue the chain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can see where this is going. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So people continue this feel-good moment. Some people might get a deal. Some not so much. But where does it end? Somebody has to end it, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider this \u2013 you drive up to grab a cup o\u2019 Joe before work. You\u2019re expecting to pay whatever silly cost it takes to get said cup at Starbucks. All of a sudden you\u2019re told the car before you paid for yours, so would you like to continue the chain and pay for the person behind you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me stop for a moment and put this into context. You are, at this point, being put in a bad spot. You don\u2019t mind giving back or paying it forward, but you are basically being put on the spot to pay for somebody else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So you look in your rear-view mirror and see a car of four college kids. You ask how much their order is and all of a sudden it\u2019s four drinks and a few other things and their bill is upward of 35 bucks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you respond? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t pay for it. Sorry, but I\u2019m not spending a ton more than I expected when all I wanted was a drink to take to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People seem to get all snotty about this on social media, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But why? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem with things like this is that it\u2019s not giving back. It\u2019s doing something to make yourself feel better because you think it\u2019s fun. In that situation. I would have given what my drink cost and driven off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a difference between giving back and being silly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how about all of you? What do you like to do to give back?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This post is part of the 2022 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A \u2018lil HooHaa. Please check out the links (<\/em>intro<\/em><\/a> I<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>themes<\/em><\/a>) if you\u2019d like to see the setup and themes! You don\u2019t have to do every theme if you don\u2019t want to! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Link up: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n