Pay It Forward Every Day!

Last night on the way home from work, I was thinking about what I would write as my next blog. Someone on the radio mentioned "Pay It Forward". At that moment I realized it was the second time in the day I had heard that phrase. To me that's a sign! I believe in signs, so I knew that's what I needed to write about.


If you haven't heard of "Pay It Forward", please, please, please rent the movie! I had never heard of it either until I happened to catch the movie on TV about two years ago. Great movie, great idea! The next day I made a point to do at least three good deeds for people, AND I emailed ALL of my friends and family and encouraged them to do the same.


Ok, if you still don't know what "Pay It Forward" means, here it is. You do a good deed for three people and in return you request they do a good deed for three others to keep the cycle going.


There is actually a "Pay It Forward" Day that was proclaimed last year on April 4th, 2008. I'm assuming it will be repeated each year.


But I say, why wait for one day a year? Why not try EVERY DAY to do at least one good deed for someone? It can be as simple as sharing a smile. Do you realize how contagious a smile is? Try it out one day. When I'm out and about I make a point to look people in the eye and smile. The percentage of people that smile back is probably 10 to 1. And I believe it's scientifically proven that a smile can actually boost your mood instantly!


You can Google the phrase and find out more information about this, but here are some more ideas for helping others:


* Pay a toll for the car behind you
* Buy lunch for the person behind you
* Buy food vouchers for a homeless person
* Go grocery shopping for an elderly neighbor
* Give your child extra snacks to share at lunch with a hungry child
* Take extra clothes, blankets, coats to homeless shelters
* Donate your time to a homeless shelter or nursing home
* Open a door for someone else
* Wash someone's car
* Pick up a piece of trash and throw it in a trash bin.
(Good deed for the community as a whole)
* Clean up an empty lot in your neighborhood
* Mow someone's lawn for free
*And since the holidays are here, donate to the local food bank,
and/or buy a gift for a needy child and donate it to Toys for Tots
or the Angel Tree that is set up inside many stores

During Christmas a couple years ago, my family and I collected money from family, friends and coworkers to donate to a place called The Childrens Village in Orlando, FL. It is a home for foster children who have aged out of the foster system and no longer receive funds from the government to help with their support. These children were still in high school so they were unable to support themselves unless they quit school and went to work! Fortunately, due to the support of an organization called Intervention Services and help from many in the community, these children were given a home to stay in for free while they finished school and could continue to stay after graduation until they were independent enough to support themselves.


With the money we collected ($1000!!!) we bought gift cards from Walmart so they could buy school supplies, clothes and food. Grocery store gift cards were donated, as well as a Honey Baked Ham. It was very moving to visit these children on Christmas Eve and present these donations to them personally. The children were very grateful and a few weeks later, all who donated received "thank you" cards from all the children. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to give to others in need!

There are so many things that you can do to help others! It's not only rewarding and fun, but it shows others that they are loved and there really are compassionate people that exist in this world!


So what are you waiting for? Why not start now? Call your mom or dad, best friend, husband, wife or child and tell them you love them. That's a great way to start!


Keep the cycle going and someday it may come back to you!


Today's quote: "Nothing is too much trouble for love"
Desmond Tutu in "Believe: The Words and Inspirations of Desmond Tutu"