A few weeks ago we got an email from a customer who wanted to share his “Pay It Forward” story for the holidays, but wanted to remain anonymous. Here is his story about how he sold all of the tools in his shop to a military veteran for just $1:
It would be an honor to me for you to share my story of my experience (with this fine young man and my soldier friend) of talking for several hours with a returned soldier and then selling my woodworking shop’s tools, machinery, and all contents/everything to him for a dollar and a handshake.
If you don’t mind, please don’t share my name or contact information. I share my story with you to let everyone know that for me paying a little back to a young man who fought for me, and for all of us, was much better than the money I could have made by selling my shop’s contents to someone who wouldn’t have appreciated either this young man’s sacrifice and service or the tools themselves. I could have made a lot of needed cash selling everything I had (it was several truck loads, but it was worth much more to me to have made a new friend and to help a soldier whom I had never met, but will never forget.
My wife didn’t understand at first my decision to sell everything I had for so little because she knew how much time and money I had put into this shop. After she met him and got to know him, she understood my decision completely.
-Anonymous