Pay It Forward!April 11, 2015

“I think some people are too scared, or something. I guess it's hard for people who are so used to things the way they are - even if they're bad - to change. 'Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses.”

- Trevor McKenney (Pay It Forward, 2000)

You may be too young to recall Mimi Leder's "Pay It Forward", with Haley Joel Osment in the lead role. He wants to make his neighbourhood a better place, doing good without expecting anything in return. Don't show your incredulous look, thinking that this premise is far from reality. On the contrary.

Let's not speculate on the timing of Pay It Forward Day, which falls on April 24. There's no need to keep our place warm enough. But this campaign is a must. The world is becoming more cynical, and we may be unaware of it. This should hardly come as a surprise, after the countless conflicts we see on the telly (or the Internet). Technology may have made our lives better, but the isolation (among individuals) becomes more apparent. It seems like the old time isn't bad as it seems to be.

There'll be a lineup of activities to highlight Pay It Forward Day, a reminder that we must be serious about it. Here are the reasons:

We must strive to make the world a better place. It's human nature to take good deeds for granted, until something bad comes along. Selfishness is the reason, which happens. We don't need to express our gratitude in a grand manner, as only a simple thank you will do. This will have a positive effect on the entire community.

We must convince others that there's something good within us. Not that there's a shortage of good deeds that we don't see, but this poses a challenge to us. Do we need to make the world know of every good deed we done? You want to do it out of good intention. You only want the best for that person. It makes us feel good about it, but let's not go further. There are some things beyond our control, though. Remember to keep up the good faith.

Let us create a happy village. This campaign won't end the misery. It won't turn the world into one huge smiley. Bad things happen, unexpectedly. This shouldn't discourage us. In fact, we must pay it forward. As often as possible. It might stretch our limits, but there's no harm in trying. In fact, you have everything to gain.

Read all articles→