Pay It Forward

Amazing how inspiring this movie is. I have not seen it in a long time. Watching it again in HBO Family seems to reinforce that in this world of desperation and seeming helplessness with what the future holds, there are more important things that you can do to make a difference in your life and in others.

I would want to get hold of the novel of the same title by Catherine Ryan Hyde, from which the movie was based upon. Actually, I just found out that this author actually established a foundation in September 2000 about this idea, and named it the Pay It Forward Foundation (www.payitforwardfoundation.org). Its mission is 'to educate and inspire students to realize that they can change the world, and provide them with opportunities to do so.'

Seriously. Sans the drama of most Hollywood films, Pay It Forward is a movie with a solid moral plot. Pay It Forward is a powerful idea and can be a life philosophy in itself. It may sound condescending or cliche for most people who might think its too inane and trivial, when there are a lot of other things you can do or you should be concerned about in this world... hunger, oppression, racism...

If you agree with this kind of people, you are totally missing the point. Pay It Forward is an idea on a way to live life. It is an option, a method on how you choose to be concerned (and act) with what --- personal issues, other people's issues, or even political issues.

Its fundamental basis is actually founded upon shared beliefs on reciprocity or the 'Golden Rule' across religions and philosophies in existence for over hundreds of years, in many words, texts, and verses. You will see various forms of these in Christianity, Brahmanisn, Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc.

The premise of the Pay It Forward idea is that any person can do it, at any time and at any point in their lives. You begin it by doing a favor for another person-- WITHOUT any expectation of being paid back. Probably, the only request that the one giving the favor may ask from the recipient if asked, is to ask that s/he does a favor for someone else in return : ideally for three other people. The unconditional favors may be anything or nothing of magnitude. It can be substantial or insignificant or large or small. As the 12-year-old Trevor says in the film, "It doesn't have to be a big thing. It can just seem that way, depending who you do it for."

Fundamental rules on what it takes to Pay It Forward:

a. When someone does you a big favor, don't pay it back... Pay It Forward
b. Do others a favor instead - and the favor should be ...

#1 It has to be something that really helps people.
#2 Something they can't do by themselves.

c. I do it for them, they do it for three other people.

My take on this...I can Pay Forward my life ahead.