Pay It Forward
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about good-will. How positivity, when used both physically as well as mentally, can change the world we live in. There are so many angry people. There always has been and there always will be. But it got me thinking about how it can be changed, and how we can look to a happier future. Sure, there are some things that are just out of our control; government choices, laws, time, environment, even finance sometimes, but if we learned to relax, and interact with other people in a more positive way, maybe we’d all be happier. It’s really cheesy when people say that smiles are contagious, but it’s very true. It all got me thinking about ‘paying it forward’; creating a world-wide positive chain reaction, and I decided to have a look at all the good things people are doing.
Obviously there’s the selfless charity work people do day-in day-out, and there’s all the stuff we hear about (on occasion) in the news. A couple of years ago, I came across geocaching. Although geocaching is not something that benefits people through material goods, it does get people connected and is like a chain reaction. It’s described on the website as a “real-world outdoor treasure hunting game”, which I think is rather sweet. To find out more, see this video.
Similarly, I thought about those romantic ideas we read in books and see in films, where someone leaves a book in a coffee shop, and in the front a message reads “To whomever finds this book. Please keep it, read it and pass it on when you’re finished. it will change your life. Anon.” There’s also those people who leave notes on walls or tables, with little words of wisdom or quotes to make people smile. I’ve read a couple which have made my day before, and each time, they remind me how similar we all are.
Interestingly, in 2008 in ‘Loveland’ USA, people started ‘paying it forward’ at Starbucks. One person paid for the person behind’s order, and it carried on. Video. There is also a pay it forward day too.
I think my next adventure in filmmaking, would be to follow a book around the world, and show the stories of each person that picks it up. It would be interesting to see what kind of book it is, and how it impacts the individuals lives.
But anyway… Spread the positivity people. You never know, it might come full circle.
