Paying it Forward

How many of you have seen the film, "Pay it Forward", starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment? If you haven't, you're missing something special. No special effects, no towering sound track but skilled actors doing a great job with a touching story. And an interesting philosophy which contrary to popular belief did not begin with the film: the philosophy of paying it forward.

We all know about paying it back, getting even. We've all heard "payback's a bitch" and "don't get mad, get even". But do we ever "get even"? And when/if you finally feel that you've gotten "even", does the other guy think it's "even"? Naw, not even close.

The concept of pay it forward presented in the film struck me with its simplicity and power: the power that anyone could wield to make the world a better place. In my self-absorbed way, since I had never heard of it before, I assumed it was an invention of the author, (the film is based on the novel of the same name by Catherine Ryan Hyde), but not so.

Science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein used the phrase in Between Planets, a book published in 1951, almost 50 years before Ryan Hyde's novel. Heinlein both preached and practiced this philosophy; now the Heinlein Society, a humanitarian organization founded in his name, does so. (Wikipedia)

The idea of "paying it forward", but without the pyramid scheme-like exponential growth, appears already in a letter from Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Webb, dated April 22, 1784. (Wikipedia)

Here are a few links for you if you would like to read more.

Foundation

Wikipedia

Blog

Why am I writing about this and why now, you ask. Well, since you asked... If you read about Sir Frank here, my knight who was so helpful in my getting my Lazy Lady, you may remember that in my call for help I made it clear that I was more than happy to compensate anyone who helped. When I remended him that I was waiting for a "statement" from him, he merely said "Pay It Forward".

Wouldn't it be a great thing if each person who reads this were to pay it forward to three people in the next few months with the reminder to keep it going.

Ginger