Two weeks ago, I wrote about a mom in need and how Twitter stepped up to the plate to help. I was amazed that through a bit of Tweeting what we were able to accomplish.

The generosity didn’t stop there. Several of the moms from the online group where we “met” pitched in to send her a gift card, so she could buy necessary items. Some of these moms are having tough times themselves, but they found a way to give at least a little. Five dollars may not sound like much, but it adds up. (Next time you go to the grocery store, think about how much toothpaste, deodorant, and paper towels add to your bill. Not to mention food.)

In addition to the money gathered from the other moms, a reader of this blog, after reading the about this mother’s plight, made a very generous donation to the gift card.

Hoping to continue the trend of helping this woman, I put the word out on Twitter again, this time asking if anyone in her area where she had children’s items they could spare. Leaving her situation quickly, she left most of their belongings behind. All those things you would have around your house for a 6 month and 2.5 year old were gone.

Again, there were those that couldn’t help personally, but were more than happy to spread the word. One person in particular was able to collect items (a lot of them) from two of her friends. Even though it meant driving all over (something I know is not her favorite pastime) gathering and delivering, she did so willingly.

For someone she doesn’t know.

Even the mother in need made sacrifices to help someone else. I found out that she did manage to grab a few things before making a run for it. As it turns out, while she was staying in a woman’s shelter, she met another mom who she thought was worse off than her. So, before leaving the shelter for her next destination, she gave that mom what she had.

On the run, with next to nothing, she was still able to look beyond her own difficult situation and think of someone else.

All of these people chose to make a sacrifice – of money or time – purely to help someone in need. No one was watching. There was no promise of praise or recognition. The act wasn’t about them.

We surround ourselves in a world that tends to tell us to pursue our dreams, make time for ourselves, and become something great. Yet, sometimes on the quest to becoming great, we forget the importance of being good. To all of those who took the time out of their day to put another human being’s needs ahead of their own, thank you.

As everyone sets out about their weekend plans, I hope the kind acts that these various strangers performed for a woman in need inspire you. It could mean eating in one night instead of going out and giving that money to someone who needs it. It might mean making plans to clean out that closet full of stuff you aren’t using and donating it to a family who can. Or it might be as simple as sharing a kind word with someone who needs it.

Whatever you choose to do…*

*I love hearing your stories. Check out the #GoWithout campaign and share your story with us. You just might inspire someone else to go without and do good!