Day 212 - Oct. 29
Listening to: It’s an all 80s weekend on Jack FM. eeeeeeee
Thought for the day: ....like gag me with a spoon

Most of us make contributions when someone is in need. We donate when there is a catastrophic event or give food/clothing/money to the less fortunate. I call this charitable giving. Then, there is the person that randomly contributes something that is unnecessary ………….. just because. I call this unconditional giving. Paying for the order of the person behind you in the drive through at Starbucks is a beautiful example of unconditional giving I was the recipient of an act of unconditional giving this week.

For years, I have been hunting for a DuPont employee gate pass from 1918. Last week, a good friend emailed me to tell me there was one for sale on EBay. I immediately put in my bid. I couldn’t babysit the auction because I had to go to my daughter's marching band rehearsal. While I was gone, the auction ended and I lost by $1. ONE FREAKIN’ DOLLLA’!!! Like a little kid not getting a Malibu Barbie for Christmas, I was distraught. I emailed my friend the next day and told him I had lost the bid. He emailed me back and told me I had an angel. It turns out his brother, who I have never met, is the person that outbid me. He ended up giving me the gate pass. I offered to pay him back and he declined.

I played show and tell at DuPont today with my prized possession. Everyone was fascinated with it. There were thousands of these gate passes produced back in 1918. Very few survive today. It just goes to show that you never know what will be of value to someone 80 years from now.

I don’t know who the man is in the photo, but I feel like he is a long lost friend. I’m so thrilled with this gift…………..the material gift and the gift of a stranger. I now feel the urge to pay it forward!

Old Hickory history: http://www.dupontalumni.org/articles/article28.htm