Pay It Forward
Something for all days.
A phrase popularized by Robert Heinlein via his 1951 novel Between Planets, as so:
The banker reached into the folds of his gown, pulled out a single credit note. "But eat first — a full belly steadies the judgment. Do me the honor of accepting this as our welcome to the newcomer."
His pride said no; his stomach said YES! Don took it and said, "Uh, thanks! That's awfully kind of you. I'll pay it back, first chance."
"Instead, pay it forward to some other brother who needs it."
...and goes back, at least in concept, as far as Benjamin Franklin, who on this date in 1784 offered the idea in a bit of correspondence:
I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.
The core idea is to extend aid to others as a means of improving the world. Certainly, paying someone back remains a good idea, but that shouldn't prevent one from also paying it forward into the world.
In the 2000 novel and book of the same name, Pay It Forward, two modifications - one of them at least is an improvement in my view, as it potentially magnifies the effect and helps guard against the inevitable risk of such a kindness dead-ending with someone: Do three good deeds - paying them forward - instead of just one, and that the deeds should be things the person cannot accomplish on their own. I'm supposing the latter is intended to try to avoid simply enabling the lazy, or simply to make it more meaningful as one gets to be Superman for a moment, but I'm not sure, much as I'm not sure that should be thought of as a critical criterion.
The core concept, however, is an excellent one. Much as with various organizations that ask others to make random acts of kindness, it's on these simple moves that a better world can be built.
It's a thought for every day.
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Comments
I'd gotten a call from an old friend, and the subject of Robert Heinlein came up. This reminded me that I'd (then) recently heard someone attribute this to Heinlein, and so did some follow-up reading on it later that night. Seeing an anniversary date for coming up later in the year, I threw this together and set it to auto-publish on the day.
In that uncomfortable way that life often works out, my next post may inadvertently make this one seem rather calculated, which is unfortunate.
Just caught your clix post and while it was bittersweet, I hope that getting a one more birthday gift from her gave you even a little joy.
Hang in there, my friend. And I hope you and the boys are doing a little better soon.