Paying it Forward
February 6, 2008 by mrschili
A little while back, TenseTeacher put up a post where she offered to send a goody of some variety to a few of her readers. She decided, before she published the post, on three random numbers; whoever happened to leave a comment that coincided with one of the numbers would be the recipients of her prizes. Her wish - and the point of this kind of exercise - is that the recipients (and, I’m assuming, everyone else) would make the same offer on his or her site so that the love could be effectively passed around.
I’m jumping on this bandwagon because I love the sentiment and I’m all about being part of a revolution of nice (and, also, because I happened to be one of her numbers, so I have a promise to keep). I have figured out the criteria for choosing who I’ll send presents to; now I just have to decide what those presents will be. I’ll have to disclaim here that I’m NOT crafty or talented in making things - if you’re hoping for a hand-knitted tea cozy, you’re SO out of luck - but I promise that I won’t send random junk to you if you happen to be a “winner.” I’ll put some thought into it.
So, the deal is that you leave me a comment here, but it has to be more than “please enter my name in your gifty drawing.” Nope - I want some creativity. Tell us a joke. Write a limerick or a haiku. Tell a story about an act of kindness that you’ve committed or witnessed. Write a tribute to someone you admire. Express how you best manifest your highest self.
Remember that commenting in this experiment is also a promise that you’ll figure out some way to pay it forward and, if you choose not to mail presents, you’ll come up with a tangible way of doing kindness to random others.
There’s a lot of sorrow, apathy, and competition in all of our lives. We struggle against it as best we can, and it’s true that some of us just give up. This is my way of reaching out a hand of encouragement. Besides, who doesn’t love surprise presents in the mail?
This is cool. I saw something the other day that I was going to blog about but it’s just as good to leave it here. You have more readers anyway!
I was getting gas last Saturday. It was wicked windy. I pulled into the station behind a guy in a Lexus. There was an elderly man at the first pump who was struggling to pump his gas and keep his hat from flying off. The man in the Lexus got out of his car and immediately walked over to the elderly man, took the gas nozzle from him and pumped his gas for him. It was the nicest thing I had seen in a very long time.
I don’t need a prize. If I’m a winner, pass it on to someone else.
-Auntie
My brother arrived yesterday from the gray midwest winter to a shiny Florida day in the eighties. We ate, we talked, all was well.
In the evening I got out my fretless bass guitar (which I seldom pick up) for him to play, and we did few numbers. It’s been a long time. It actually sounded pretty good. Together at the open mike Thursday? It could happen.
I comment too often here to get a prize. Let someone else win.
Hmmmm. I don’t know if I really need a present, but I’ve got stories!
Yesterday, as I was driving to work, I passed several polling places. The lines were out the door, around the buildings. I felt a tinge of excitement and happiness that people were stoked to participate. My candidate dropped out a long time ago, but I must remember to continue to scratch away. If I am invested, then I pass that on to the next generation.
As for kindness, I get all mooshy feeling inside whenever I see my 12 year old son rush to hold a door for someone.
I remember being at a pretty low point when in the fast food line at chick-fil-a with my Peep—and not just because I was prepared to feed her fast food! When I arrived at the window, I was informed that the person in front of me had paid for my order. And with two kids and a mom to feed, this was not a total cheapie. Someone had forked over $12 randomly just to be kind. It has really stuck with me. And for all the times that I feel like this town stifles me, I recall that moment of blind support.
Someone said something stupid yesterday and I didn’t roll my eyes. Does that count? I’M KIDDING! (mostly)
About six months ago a doctor cut my husband’s chest open with a chainsaw, held his heart in his hands, fixed his heart and allowed me the opportunity to keep my husband for years to come. This medical act suddenly and without warning brought my entire life into crystal clear view. Before that day, I only thought I respected and enjoyed the relationship I had with R. After that day and every day since my first thought when I wake up is how lucky I am to have him and Booger. How close I was to not having it. I will never forget.
And now, to lighten the mood: my favorite joke ever. A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Why the long face?” The horse responds, “Well, I’m a horse.”
I guess that I should clarify that the story was about the surgeon’s being nice to me by letting R live and all.
I’m in a rambling mood today, I guess. All talk, no point.
A very dear friend of ours has found herself in a place where she is quite comfortable and has a bit of cash that she calls her “angel money”. She drops cash in an envelope and manages to get it to the right person at the right time for the right reasons and does it all in secret. She has been an anonymous blessing for many, many individuals. We do the same when we can. It’s a good thing.
No gift for us either, we’re just passing on a loving story.
I just gave #2 his allergy shot. I filled the syringe, stuck him with the needle and pushed. The syringe shot off the needle leaving it in his neck. All the liquid shot into my eye. He’s fine, I gave him a new shot and I rinsed out my eye.
Ironically, my eye itches. Go figure.
I love the concept of paying it forward. Right now i’m thinking of how i can send money to a friend anonymously.
Which one of my bloggy friends should i send it to so they can send it on?
Don’t include me in your paying it forward, as I’ve already done this, of course… I just want to share my day in the form of a haiku:
Meeting with new boss
Meet, greet, short, sweet, and filled with
Many promises.
*bowing*
Tense Teacher, thanks, loved that. Thanks. You just paid it forward.
We here don’t get exposed to enough haiku. Explain again how haiku works. You just got more pay it forward points for explaining again. So there. Suck it up. I love that you are willing to teach this. Again. I know, we all know it but having it explained is good.
I do hope the new boss gets it.
@Laurie B - Three lines: first line 5 syllables, second line 7 syllables, and third line 5 syllables again. The idea is to compress as much meaning or a burst of imagery in a very compact space. One has to choose her words carefully.
And, I’m glad you liked it.