Pay It Forward

Hello all,

Sorry it’s been so long again. Obviously, I have not been that inspired to do much seeking of late. But hey, I’d welcome inspiration from any of you!

So here I am flying back from Japan, and what is playing on the in-flight video, but a rather old movie called “Pay It Forward”. Have I written about this before? If so, sorry ... my memory is such a terrible thing to waste.

Assuming I have not, and for any that have not heard the story line, let me explain. A 7th grade teacher (played by Kevin Spacey) has high standards and expectations for his class (caught up in the Las Vegas grind). One of his teaching techniques is an extra credit problem for his students to come up with one idea that could change the world, and take action to implement it. One of the students, a rather reflective 11-year old (Haley Joel Osment) that’s had a pretty hard life, contemplates the assignment as he rides his bike home through some bad parts of town — and sees homeless people living out of dumpsters. So he comes up with his idea, and begins its implementation.

The idea is simple. Do something hard and altruistic for three people, with the only “requirement” being to ask them each in return to help three others, and so on. It’s a pyramid scheme of kindness. He tries it himself — first inviting a homeless drug addict into his house, feeding him, giving him money, and letting him sleep in the garage. As you might expect, his mother (Helen Hunt) is not real keen on the idea. But that’s part of the story — nothing really goes as planned, except that for some reason, these people eventually do "pay it forward", and the idea spreads into a movement. Indeed, there really is such a movement (see www.payitforwardfoundation.org and www.payitforwardmovement.org). I don’t know how significant the movement itself is, but I don’t consider that to be the point.

To me the point is how inherently simple it is for anyone to try to positively change the world. You just have to think of an idea that “scales” and take action. Imagine if everyone tried that? Your whole life, just to come up with one idea and act upon it (you can try for more if you are so inspired). Multiplied by the population of the planet. It might only take one (Gandhi, King, Christ, Buddha), or it might take people of lesser stature, but a few more of them. Any chance you could be one of them? What if that turned out to be the purpose of your life — of everyone’s life — to change the world. Not very Buddha-like I know (just accept and detach), but this is the Christian in me speaking now.

The song "Calling all Angels", by Jane Siberry With K.D. Lang (download it and listen to it - great 'seeker' lyrics), is from the closing scene of the movie, which I won’t discuss in case you have not seen it. While I’d recommend the movie for everyone, I’m sure some who see it will not care for it (it's not a feel-good flick -- everything is not pleasant, and it will make you think); but hey, if just a few get the message, it couldn’t hurt.

So what are the messages that I took from the movie?

- People are inherently good, but sometimes weak.
- Never give up.
- You can always change yourself if you want to.
- Dream big.
- Help others when they cannot help themselves.
- The world is complicated (and rather messed up).
- Life contains suffering and loss, but also offers redemption.
- Things don’t always work out as you plan.
- If *you* are not going to try and change the world, then who?

I hope all is well with each of you,

S-