The phrase is an old one.
Ralph Waldo Emerson used it in his 1841 essay Compensation. The great Ohio State University football coach Woody Hayes made Emerson's words his own, living by the philosophy that "You can never pay back, but you can always pay it forward." Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury used the concept in his 1957 work Dandelion Wine:
"You can't just pay. What then? What? Pass it on somehow,...pass it on to someone else. Keep the chain moving. Look around, and pass it on."
Catherine Ryan Hyde used the idea as the theme and title of her novel Pay It Forward. In the novel, when someone extends an act of kindness to you, then you have the responsiblity to return three acts of kindness to others, in hopes of creating a ripple effect of goodness and changing the world in which we live. The idea from her novel and subsequent film has been turned into a movement, the Pay It Forward Movement and Foundation, that promotes acts of kindess throughout the world.
What does this mean for Blake High School? Nothing or everything. It is up to us. This blog is meant for Blake students, parents and staff to share their thoughts, connect with others who would like to work together to spread kindness throughout our school and community, to post ideas for service projects big and small, share kindnesses received and kindnesses observed. There are no expectations or commitments involved - except to make kindness, doing things with no thought of reward or recognition, a part of the Blake community. Are you in?
Then hold a door. Pick up that package the guy in line dropped at Home Depot. That wallet on the metro bus? Catch the woman who dropped it. Give up a seat. Hold your tongue. Smile.
I can't wait to see where we take this because we are awesome!
msb
