Recently I got drunk on my porch and came up with a Facebook challenge. Anyone who smokes cigars knows how much it sucks to smoke alone – the whole purpose of smoking a cigar is to ponder and pontificate – and, alone that day but for my characteristically uninterested cats, I told myself I had to make something out of my smoke break – something that had the potential to make the world a little better. Naturally, I then thought, as I often do, of the movie Pay It Forward, in which a young boy creates a simple formula that successfully makes the world a better place.
Here is the resultant challenge, which I myself completed after posting to my Facebook:
- Send a message to someone who has made a difference in your life, who is likely not aware of it.
- Tell a past crush that you liked them, and why, even if the ship has long sailed and you’ve no desire to board it now.
- Send a message to someone not on your friends list, whom you don’t like. Make your peace, if not theirs.
The results? Not even a single Like, much less a comment. My challenge completely ignored. But what did I get back from it? For one, it felt damn good to do, and gave me peace. For another, I got two responses – the past crush thanking me for my kind words and passing along his goodwill, and the past enemy unexpectedly apologizing for their actions, which completely blew my mind and lifted a long-time weight from me.
I should smoke alone more often.