Paying it Forward in Real Life Situations
Having written a blog recently about Paying it Forward in the business sense I was very interested to read this article recently that talks about Paying it Forward in life in general. I was so taken with the idea , I thought I would share it with you.
LEAVING GREAT LEGACIES
by Steve
Goodier
I've discovered this about legacies - generous people leave great legacies. I read about a couple in Canada who stopped to help a motorist who had run out of gasoline. It was a regular occurrence in their part of rural Canada. After they got him on his way, they bought
a new fuel can, scratched their initials on it, filled it with petrol and stored it in the trunk of their car.
A few months later they again stopped to assist a stranded motorist. But this time they GAVE him their gas can and told him to fill it up, keep it with him and pass it along to the next motorist he sees who has run out of fuel.
Though they never expected to see their can again, in a couple of years they spotted it being passed along to a grateful motorist on the road. They recognized it several more times over the years, and each time they asked its owner where it had come from. They ascertained that the can had traveled across the continent at least two times!
They never intended to leave a legacy. When they bought the fuel can they never dreamed that their action might strike chords that could vibrate in eternity. But that container is probably still traveling across Canada in the back of somebody's vehicle!
I wonder how many stranded motorists have been rescued by the generosity of complete strangers who stopped to help? And how many have then taken the container, re-filled it, and finally passed it along to some other poor soul? Good will generated by a humble can of
fuel has no doubt been multiplied many times in countless ways, striking beautiful chords that vibrate forever.
It's true - generous people leave great legacies. Even that small piece of yourself you freely give away may thrive in surprising ways throughout eternity.
It occured to me that when we offer to Pay it Forward in the business sense - we are really doing it so that we will gain in the long run. Maybe if we did it in the true sense of giving we would get better results.
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Comments (16)
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2
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Veit Johnson
9
Internet Cash Coach
Paying it forward is a great concept. I find that so many are doing it now that it is often being misused to get customers for different scams now on the internet. Had to make a comment in a blog to get my credits for the day. Thank you for your time.
Gilberto Cintron
7
Viral, Local, Social & Mobile Marketing Expert
The very first line in Morgan Scott Peck's book "The Road Less Traveled" is Life is difficult. I read this book many years ago but every once in awhile I think about it. This post on paying forward is one such time. See, I was a professional helper, a Social Worker. Day in and day out I helped people, that was my job. Despite the fact that worked with child abuse, domestic violence, drug addiction, etc. My real work can from my volunteerism. Growing up in Spanish Harlem during the late 1960's an
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
The old coot wrote a discussion in the QCWG group that that a perfect example of Angel' in disguise.
Normally I don't put links in a response but this is a moving and powerful example of how God uses us as angels
http://www.apsense.com/subject/31640.html
Janet Matthews
10
Health and Nutrition Writer
Hmmm - Angels in disguise what an interesting thought!!
Cindy Bolley
16
HHCTB?
Keep up the great work Janet.
And your so right Cheryl
You just never know what Angels REALLY look like.
Cindy
Janet Matthews
10
Health and Nutrition Writer
Oh Cindy that is a wonderful story - it has brought a tear to my eyes also. You are a past master at paying it forward with the time you give to Veretekk. I am always amazed how generous people online are with their time. It is very heartening to see in this troubled world we live in.
Thank you so much for sharing your story
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
We should remember "Angels often come without wings and halos"
Cindy Bolley
16
HHCTB?
Janet, Thanks you so much for sharing this article. It reminds of an incident I had several years ago. My husband has a vending company. One very HOT day I had to help him fill vending machines. So that meant my van was loaded with pop chips and candy. Before I had gotten to my first stop I had a tire blowout on a very busy expressway near Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Go Blue)
Needless to say I was a damsel in distress. I got out the manual of how to change the tire and getting the spare out of its
Janet Matthews
10
Health and Nutrition Writer
Thank you all for so many interesting comments.
That is a very interesting story of what happened to you Cheryl and also to you Karl - which I suppose is exactly what my blog is about.
It is very true Garnet that we are too intent on competing with each other and thinking that the world owes us something. We need to turn that around and start giving first and I am sure the world would very quickly be a better place to live.
Hi Clarence Dee and Georgios and nice to see you all here and thank
Karl Rose
6
The pay it forward system if used in life situations instead of business situations is much more appealing to me. I had a situation kind of like cheryl. I was driving alone on my way to the Grand Canyon. It was near midnight and I got a flat. Lucky I had a small truck w/a camper shell. I was unable to get those darn lug nuts off. So I curled up inside the camper had a couple of beers and went to sleep. I was awakened by a knocking on my camper shell. Thinking it was a cop, it was actually a good
Clarence Coggins
6
Get Leads 4 Life
Wow that is a great story. Could you imagine that happening with gas prices as they are today? But true humanity is judged by the dollar amount. It is measured by random and planned acts of little kindness.
Keep shining light on the World.
Clarence Coggins
Crown Prince of Web 2.0
1 Minute 30 Day Success System Founder
Not Here
8
just want my account deleted
What we do, how we act or treat each other has a much greater effect than we can even imagine. Everything we know(or think we know) about life today really is little more than the effect of what has happened before us.
I wonder who it was, and how long ago it was when someone first came up with the idea that we need to compete with each other or that one of us should deserve more than another.....just look at us now.
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Paying it forward is a good way to live but we must realize that this is not about a gain for you but helping someone else. I help people when I can and the only thing I ask is that they help someone else when they get a chance. Many years ago someone did that very thing for me when my car broke down. I had just gotten out of the military and he saw me in my uniform. I asked for his address to pay him back the money when I got to my destination. However his only request after reaching in hi
Dee Hudson
8
Validated Veretekk Trainer
Thank you for shearing Janet,
very thought provoking, Lets all try to help others more in our daily lives.
Take care because I care
Dee
Georgios Paraskevopo...
10
Consultant/Translator EN-GR-SW
Hello Janet!
This is good information and many people are better than we think.
We are made to live social meaning that we have to help each other.
Thank you for sharing! Keep up the good work.
Georgios