Pay It Forward

I watched Pay It Forward tonight, and I'm not ashamed to say I cried my eyes out - you'd have to be pretty detached from humanity if it didn't touch you in some way. The rules are simple: #1 It has to be something that really helps people. #2 It has to be something they can't do by themselves. #3 I do it for them, they do it for three other people. The concept is that you help three people do something (or become something) that they couldn't do for themselves (or by themselves), then they have to help three others in return. In theory this is a noble undertaking - to have enough blind faith in humankind that they would actually return the favour by paying it forward themselves. I've had my house and my vehicle broken into, I've been let down and betrayed numerous times, I've been used beyond belief by those that are supposed to be my friends...all this, and you want me to have faith in humankind? I guess this is what makes a person completely selfless - having the ability to have that faith when all around you is saying it would be a complete waste of time and effort.

I have always been the kind of person to help others (even sometimes when they didn't want the help I was offering) and never expect anything in return - I do things because I want to do them, not because I think there might be a payoff at the end. I actually feel awkward when someone tries to "pay me back" for a favour. I'm your friend, I don't keep score. I don't always have the means or the time to do the big things for others, but I sure enjoy the feeling I get when I can do the little things for people. I've been in the lineup at Tim Hortons and bought coffee for the person in line behind me. I've paid for a friend's tab at the bar when I left so they could be surpised later. I've driven half way cross the city to pick someone up or drop them off so they could spend time with their friends. I've stopped and helped a complete stranger load boxes into their vehicle when they're moving. I've bought lunch for a homeless person (more than once). I'm sure if I sat here an picked my brain I could think of several other things I've done as well, but after watching Pay It Forward I'm left wondering if it's enough? Have the things I've done been important enough to make a difference and cause others to Pay It Forward? Somehow I doubt it. Do I need to part the Red Sea, or turn water into wine in order to compell others to want to help others? Where are we going if all we can think of is ourselves?