Have you ever "paid it forward"?
For those who don’t have a clue as to what that is, here’s the definition for it:
The expression ”pay it forward” is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward)
For example: Say you need five dollars to pay for a gallon of milk and you’re broke. So what you do is ask a friend (it could be some random person you want to ask, too) and they lend it to you, but on one condition: You have to pay it forward.
Don’t know what this is? Well, the next time you see someone in trouble and/or in need of help, what you can do is go up to them and help them out. But remember that you’re not doing this for some reward, such as a payback, money and such, but for simply wanting to help out. After that, that person might want to reward you for your willingness to help, but you just say, “Pay it forward.” So what you’re saying is that whenever they see someone who needs help in something, they too can help out and spread the word about paying it forward. It’s acts of kindess! This can go on and on and possibly, have a good world changing affect.
Some of you may already know of this, but there is a book called Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde and if you want the summary for it, then just go to this link and scroll down: http://www.amazon.com/Pay-Forward-Catherine-Ryan-Hyde/dp/1439170401/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1.
There’s also a movie for it, too, but I’m not going to head down to that.
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the movie is great…did you see it?
PAY IT FORWARD – ASSIGNMENT TO SAVE THE WORLD
5 min – Jul 12, 2006
www.youtube.com
Many Many times. I have had random bits of kindness done for me, and I have done the same. But, I have never had someone actually say to me now I have to pay it forward.
I do have a friend who literally had this happen though. Her son nwas born with some physical problems and she had marginal health insurance for him. One doctor he needed to see was a neurologist. When the bill came she called the office and said, “I want to work out a payment schedule of some sort, I can pay $20 a month, I’ll pay more if I am able.” The receptionist put her on hold, and then the doctor picked up the phone to her surprise. He said, “I remember you, your husband is studying law and your son had blah blah.” She confirmed he remember correctly. The doctor continued, “I’m going to zero out your bill, and hopefully one day when your husband can help someone with his legal skills he will do the same.”
@BoBo1946 – Just put that on my NetFlix list. TY :-)
My wife and I were car shopping when we heard about a woman that was struggling to get a job and had a serious POS car that would make it hard for her to get to work if she did get one. Instead of trading in our car, we gave it to her and traded in her POS. She got the job and when she got her feet, gave the car to someone else. As far as I know, it’s still on the road somewhere.
this is semi-related…was an insurance adjuster for 25 years and really enjoyed helping people that just lost everything. Really feels good to drive up to someone’s home, that has been totally destroyed, and write them a check on the spot to replace their home. Done that many times on tornadoes….also have written policy limits checks on a fires while the house was still burning. Lucky to work for a company that would allow that freedom and trust my judgement.
Frequently. This is how I try to live and how I taught my kids. Thank you Kahlil Gibran.
I try to pay it forward all the time, but I don’t usually ask people to do anything, I just hope that the Universe takes note and sends similar things back my way. There have been a few times where I did something for someone who then asked, insisted on doing something in return and I told them to do something kind for someone else.
If you tell it doesn’t count.
I am always willing to help others when they are truly in need as opposed to being too lazy to solve their own problem. I never accept anything more than a thank you but I always ask them to help someone else on my behalf when they encounter someone in need. I tell them once they have done so, then they have redeemed their debt to me for my help.
I am grateful for help I have at times received and I promised those kind souls that I will help someone else on their behalf because I want to honour their kindness.
It is an approach I have valued long before I ever heard of the movie. It always just seemed intuitively right.
Funnily enough I do this a lot when I am driving. I am more likely to let someone out in front of me at a queue of traffic (ie: if they are waiting to pull out onto the road I am driving on already) if someone has done the same for me recently. I always appreciate drivers that are considerate to other drivers and are obviously not so wrapped up in their own selves that they can’t spare a second or two to help another driver out. If someone has helped me out in this way it often makes me more aware of others on the road that need the same treatment. I know I should feel like this all the time and not just when soomeone has helped me and, of course, I try to but sometimes other peoples good nature is a gentle reminder to act in the same manner.
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