Have you guys ever seen the movie "Pay it Forward" with Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osmont? It was on tv last night and I made Tyler watch it with me. I've seen it before but its so good, so heart-warming and uplifting and inspirational, that I just had to watch it again. Of course, the unexpected tragic ending puts a damper on the happy feelings, but that just makes it more poignant. The movement that the young boy brings about is so inspiring, and it makes me wonder just how many people out there, in "real" life, have had their own pay-it-forward moment.
I know that I've done things before that are kind of like that, such as helping elderly people walk on the icy sidewalk, putting money in someone's almost-expired parking meter, once I even loaded a sweet little old lady's groceries into her car for her. However, I consider those to be acts of basic human courtesy and decency. Nothing on such a grand scale as the actions carried out in the movie. But I like to think that in my own way I might have inspired those people I helped to create their own act of kindness. You know, the "kindness of strangers" idea, and all that.
So I would like to hear from you, your stories of paying-it-forward, if you have any...
2 comments:
So here's a story about your dad .. Your father just LOVED that movie ("stupid movie" as he would say) but before that movie was even made, about once a month he would eyeball a restaurant as he was leaving and would pay for someone else's meal as long as the waitress told them afterward to "pay it forward" or he'd have her write that phrase on their bill (sort of like "your bill has been paid by someone who thought you might appreciate the gesture as long as you eventually pay it forward" because of course no one could ever read your father's writing) .. Anyway, he had been inspired to do this from a story Deanna relayed to us of a Native American elder she knows who did the same thing. I have also done this, in restaurants, but certainly not as often as Mark did. But hey, now that you've reminded me about this "pay it forward", I think I'll start doing this on a regular basis, like every mid-month.
Now, here's a story about your Gramma .. Deanna and I were in the Calgary outlet mall a couple years ago and she was approached by a young teenager who gave her $20 and said "pay it forward" but Deanna was insulted because she thought he must have thought she looked like she needed the money ("Do I look like I'm homeless or poor or starving?") so then when I reminded her of the "pay it forward" idea, she approached a young kid and as she gave him the $20 she said "Here, pay it forward" and he screamed "stranger, stranger" and ran away. Needless to say by then I was crumpled on the mall floor, laughing so hard I was crying.
Mom
Poor Deanna, hahahah! I can totally picture that scene in my mind. TOO funny!
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