Always Pay it Forward

I have had the good fortune in my life to have really good people who care for me when I am down rather it be emotionally, economically, or spiritually.  A support network that always lifts me up. It is never the same, sometimes it’s an organization, a small group of people,  or one single person, but I have never been alone. 

This good fortune isn’t about handouts. I am a person of great pride and I don’t ask for help easy or accept it readily. I am very proud to say that whatever I have today came from hard work and self-sufficiency, even when that sufficiency meant tightening my bootstraps. This good fortune is about connection. It’s about opportunity, and simple kindness.  It’s about listening, encouraging, and uplifting. Its about having someone’s back, even when they don’t know it.  Its about being observant and seeing the world around you, and recognizing when you can make a difference.
 

The good fortune I speak of is caring for someone else even in the midst of the chaos of our own daily lives. Keeping our eyes open for information and possibilities that might help someone we know who is in need.

Let me share a story with you:

It was a cold Saturday morning and my then 15 year old son Brandon had spent the night at his friend Michael' s apartment in downtown Vancouver.   Michael came from a broken home and his mother was in the midst of a battle with drugs and alcohol.  Michael spent a lot of time at our home, and I hoped everyday that Michael would be o.k.. He and his mother had very little money and what little they had went to support his mother habits.  But that particular November weekend, Michael had to babysit his younger brother so Brandon kept him company. There was a bitter cold front passing through and Brandon woke up early and called me to come pick him up.  Michael's apartment was freezing because his mother had the gas turned off. Brandon was hungry and there was no food in the cupboards, he just wanted to come home (sadly most visits to Michael's house ended this way). When he got in the car he asked if we could drive through McDonald's and get him a bite to eat, as he and Michael didn't have dinner the night before either.  We had just turned into the driveway of the McDonald's when suddenly Brandon called out and insisted I stop the car.  I was stunned and surprised and couldn't understand what was wrong, but when the tires came to a halt in the middle of the parking lot, Brandon jumped out and quickly made his way to the door.  You see, my Brandon, my wonderful empathetic, soulful Brandon, saw an opportunity to act.  An elderly wheelchair bound gentleman was struggling to open the doors to go inside the restaurant.  Rather to eat or simply get out of the cold, it  didn't matter,  he needed help and my Brandon was there.  Without thought or hesitation, he acted, rather stranger, friend, or relative, his heart took over and he acted. When I think of acts performed with no ulterior motives, completely selfless, I remember that cold November morning and the heart of a 15 year old hungry boy.

I believe in always paying it forward. Supporting my friends and acquaintances in any way I can through job searches, computer training, network connections, emotional uplifting, and sometimes a simple smile or just a few hours of time spent together to take their mind off of things. Sometimes a door opening, or a bowl of soup, a text message to say you are thinking of them can make all the difference. 

I’ve had challenges in my life, just as anyone else, but I have always had the good fortune of great people who were there as I tackled and adapted to my new beginnings and fresh starts.  I have a debt to pay, and I will pay it forward every day. Because even if yesterday’s debt is fulfilled, I know there will be another sometime in the future. Everything comes full circle, and life is about constant change and I know that just as the wind changes, and the air around us moves, so does life. Without challenge there would be no growth, no learning, no wisdom, the key is, if we pay it forward, we never have to face challenge alone.  Someone will always be there to lift us up, or open a door.