A little goes a long way...

So every Tuesdays, I'm blessed with 2 free movie passes. (Go Optimum!) And I try to treat myself by taking a break from my work day to take advantage of this awesomeness. (One can turn cross-eyed  from designing and creating jewelry all day, you know...) As much as possible, if I know I can't spare the 2-4 hours or am only able to see one movie without an available friend, I usually head over to the movie theater to give one, if not both passes away. What baffles me every time I attempt this gesture is how people react towards me. "Hi! Do you need to buy a ticket? 'Cause I can just give you a free one if you want", I say ever so friendly, right? Well, either they automatically (and coldly, I might add) turn me away, assuming I want money for the pass(es) or they excitedly accept the offer, then go on  an avid quest to somehow repay me. "Can I buy you some popcorn? A drink? Some Goobers? Twizzlers? Anything?" Sometimes, they practically drag me to the concession stand by my arm.  It's too adorable!  Now, don't get me wrong... I almost NEVER turn down free food. Ever. (You might as well remove "almost" from that previous sentence.) But the way I look at it, the prices they'd pay on those snacks would practically be equivalent to having have bought an actual movie ticket, right? And that would defeat the whole point of my offer. That's my theory... I know it's not a grand gesture but it does feel good inside every time I give away my passes, especially after seeing how grateful most people truly are. A little truly does go a long way... I think it's the itsy bitsy things that count. And I try my best to apply that in every aspect of my life. The smallest gesture of kindness or generosity can change the course of how someone's day begins or ends. It can act as an inspiration to "pay it forward", even when we're too troubled, exhausted, stressed, or busy in our own lives to even have the capacity or incentive to conjure up, let alone give away that kind of positive energy. I will admit though that the smell of that warm, buttered bucket of popcorn (that I could've said "yes" to) lingering around me while I sit there in that theater is almost painstakingly irresistible  But I just keep my focus on that big screen...and pull out my Ziploc bag of mixed nuts and get over it. Slowly but surely. ;-)