Individuals Paying It Forward

"Young Caine, when I was a boy, I fell into a hole in the ground and I was broken and could not climb out. I might have died there but a stranger came along and saved me. He said it was his obligation. That for help he had once received, he must in return help ten others each of whom would then help ten others so that good deeds would spread out like the ripples from a pebble in a pond. I was one of his ten and you became one of mine. And now I pass this obligation on to you." - Master Po

I was a student, at university at that time and I guess this idea has remained with me. Unlike the story I could not focus upon ten and realised that one small deed may be bigger to the receiver than a bigger deed to someone else. So keeping score seemed pointless. The principle of passing on good deeds has in it the fact that we can not repay the good deeds that someone has done to us. The opportunity may never arise and it is different to keeping a tab on the number of drinks purchased or who turn it is to get them from the vending machine where a tally is possible. If I could never be sure what is a good deed, nor whether I had paid back enough to others then I would simply have to continue to help whenever the opportunity arose hoping that I paid out more than I have been given.

Not long afterwards, when I worked in Harrods (1974) one customer wanted to offer me a tip for all the help I had given, I refused. I was paid to do the job and that also meant helping customers. I though nothing more of it, until later, when I left for my digs and I saw the customer again. I told her there was something she could do and that was to help someone else in return. I don't know if she understood, but that in itself was not important.

I was once stopped by a tourist looking for accommodation very late in the evening. I couldn't help with where they could get accommodation. I started to cycle off then I thought, well I have a double room. So I cycled and they followed in their car. I changed the bed covers and cooked them a breakfast in the morning. I did get some money for expenses.

I tried to help an alcoholic who I travelled with on the train to work in the morning. I guess that was doomed to failing.

In 1989 years later I was on a journey of a life time in India. A few weeks into my journey I was robbed, and was then helped by several strangers without whose help it would have been very much harder for me. http://web.ukonline.co.uk/gerald.mcmullon/reports/misc/ind9004.htm I wish I was able to help those people directly but I don't have the money that might have been able to help them in turn. So I continue to look where I might be able to help.

The hardest part is that as you give you also receive and must have the good grace to accept that in return to having passed on good deeds before and in the future.

I continue to do these small deeds, sometimes at personal cost and some even fail to achieve the help that was intended. My own daughter is the direct result of such a deed. http://web.ukonline.co.uk/gerald.mcmullon/cv/yasmin10.htm#P1

I am pleased that this idea has a nice catch phrase and maybe I can now tell people to "Pay if forward".

Kind regards

Gerald