This Blog is inspired by and dedicated to my Wife Beebee.
She is the worlds biggest fan of the Movie "Pay It Forward"
We own a copy, we have it recorded and she watches it every time it comes on TV. If you are one of the few people who have not seen it you should. Its sweet, sappy, heartwarming and most importantly thought provoking.
Beebee has a what might be called a simplistic , open, and perhaps naive outlook on life. She leaves the cynicism to me [I assure you I can handle it]. She believes in accountability, The Golden Rule, tit for tat, eye for an eye, and what goes around comes around. She sees no “gray” areas ,she believes that Mans basic nature is good and she believes that paying back is good -but paying it forward is better. [It gets more people involved in the process]
The premise of the film is the idea that when someone does something for you, you may not be able to pay them back in kind, but you can do something for someone else and ask them to do the same. This “ACT” is to be done three times.
According to the Boy in the movie when this is done in the manner proscribed the “goodness” expands exponentially, mathematically this would work. Where human nature is involved, however, this plan may not expand in a perfect “spread”.things like Selfishness, a lack of compassion, laziness and even pride can stop or stunt it’s proper progression.
My wife is almost fanatical about the plan, every time we are blessed by someone or receive some unexpected good fortune She is ready, even excited about another opportunity to PayIt forward, this is as it should be. We all need to realize that "Paying" does not need to be, nor should it be about money, often it is, but some people find it easy to throw money around with the thought that this “buys” them good will or elevates their standing [increasing Karma, if you wish] .
Beebee now does it ALL the time, some of her “PAYMENTS” are as follows; If you see someone in a store struggling with an item on a shelf help them, [she is only 4’ 11” and 90 lbs if she can do it so can I or you]. If you are in line with someone in a store and they are “short” a few cents, offer to help. [she often comes out of the store and says “OH, I gave the lady in front of us, a dollar because she was short a few cents“, some times her stingy old husband says, ‘well did you get your change.’]. When she gets to go “Yard Sale-ing”, she will buy things we have no need for, her reasoning is this "well so and so needs this,or that" and cloths, she has plenty, and kids cloths and not for our many Grandkids, fortunately they are plenty blessed, she will tell me this child or that child the we know about needs more jeans and shirts, she is that way about kids shoes also, they must have good shoes [I have found strange pairs of shoes among my Walmart purchases when unloading the van]
She has infected the whole family, from time to time my Grandkids will put a box in my van and say “Paw paw, give these toys to some kid who needs them, we got lots of stuff we don’t play with.” and it isn’t junk either, I recently passed along a Fire truck I would still play with
These are actually simple examples of what can and should be done. Part of the impact of the "program" is paying back with an act that is not easy, giving from the hand, heart and head, teach someone to read, weed an old persons garden even if you don't like yard work. take a special needs child to the park while their parents have a "Date Night" and pay for it.Give it some thought.
Recently Beebee was in the Hospital for treatment of her Multiple Sclerosis.Her stay was poorly timed as we were between paydays and I will finish the story in her own words;
She is the worlds biggest fan of the Movie "Pay It Forward"
We own a copy, we have it recorded and she watches it every time it comes on TV. If you are one of the few people who have not seen it you should. Its sweet, sappy, heartwarming and most importantly thought provoking.
Beebee has a what might be called a simplistic , open, and perhaps naive outlook on life. She leaves the cynicism to me [I assure you I can handle it]. She believes in accountability, The Golden Rule, tit for tat, eye for an eye, and what goes around comes around. She sees no “gray” areas ,she believes that Mans basic nature is good and she believes that paying back is good -but paying it forward is better. [It gets more people involved in the process]
The premise of the film is the idea that when someone does something for you, you may not be able to pay them back in kind, but you can do something for someone else and ask them to do the same. This “ACT” is to be done three times.
According to the Boy in the movie when this is done in the manner proscribed the “goodness” expands exponentially, mathematically this would work. Where human nature is involved, however, this plan may not expand in a perfect “spread”.things like Selfishness, a lack of compassion, laziness and even pride can stop or stunt it’s proper progression.
My wife is almost fanatical about the plan, every time we are blessed by someone or receive some unexpected good fortune She is ready, even excited about another opportunity to PayIt forward, this is as it should be. We all need to realize that "Paying" does not need to be, nor should it be about money, often it is, but some people find it easy to throw money around with the thought that this “buys” them good will or elevates their standing [increasing Karma, if you wish] .
Beebee now does it ALL the time, some of her “PAYMENTS” are as follows; If you see someone in a store struggling with an item on a shelf help them, [she is only 4’ 11” and 90 lbs if she can do it so can I or you]. If you are in line with someone in a store and they are “short” a few cents, offer to help. [she often comes out of the store and says “OH, I gave the lady in front of us, a dollar because she was short a few cents“, some times her stingy old husband says, ‘well did you get your change.’]. When she gets to go “Yard Sale-ing”, she will buy things we have no need for, her reasoning is this "well so and so needs this,or that" and cloths, she has plenty, and kids cloths and not for our many Grandkids, fortunately they are plenty blessed, she will tell me this child or that child the we know about needs more jeans and shirts, she is that way about kids shoes also, they must have good shoes [I have found strange pairs of shoes among my Walmart purchases when unloading the van]
She has infected the whole family, from time to time my Grandkids will put a box in my van and say “Paw paw, give these toys to some kid who needs them, we got lots of stuff we don’t play with.” and it isn’t junk either, I recently passed along a Fire truck I would still play with
These are actually simple examples of what can and should be done. Part of the impact of the "program" is paying back with an act that is not easy, giving from the hand, heart and head, teach someone to read, weed an old persons garden even if you don't like yard work. take a special needs child to the park while their parents have a "Date Night" and pay for it.Give it some thought.
Recently Beebee was in the Hospital for treatment of her Multiple Sclerosis.Her stay was poorly timed as we were between paydays and I will finish the story in her own words;
""I met a lady we will call her Beth, she knew I was there for the same reason she was, and that I had little money to buy snacks or a bottle of water, she gave me a pamphlet it was Christian based, when she gave it to me I didn't have the time to look at it so I put it aside, when I finally had time, she had gone home. I opened the pamphlet and seventeen dollars fell into my lap with a note that said " Pay It Foreword". So I have been doing just that not by giving money but doing things for people, things that are not easy just like in the true story. If you have not seen the movie" Pay It Foreword" I suggest you do.
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Still Paying It Foreword, Beebee Johnston""
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