***If you missed the first article of Inspiration Week, click here to read Why My Birthday (TODAY) & Your Birthday Are Meaningless & That’s Awesome ***

It takes a big person to anonymously give anything knowing they will not be getting anything in return. I would like to tell you I am one of those individuals, but, unfortunately, I am not one of those true heroes all the time. What I do try to do is give without receiving anything in return as often as possible. In a way, this can be referred to as or compared to the notion of ‘Paying It Forward’.

Since this is INSPIRATIONAL Week, I would like to try and inspire all of you to give back without asking for anything in return.

First, let me introduce you to ‘Paying It Forward’. I was first introduced to this idea by way of the 2000 movie aptly named Pay It Forward which was based on the Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel by the same name (link to book). In the movie, Halie Joel Osmond’s character comes up with the plan to “pay it forward” by doing a good deed for three people who must in turn each do good deeds for three other people, creating a charitable pyramid scheme. There is more to the book/movie, but you will have to check it out. My focus is in the development of giving by planting a small seed and letting it grow to a full tree that is able to provide so much. In ‘Pay It Forward’, one class project becomes something that reaches further through the action of each participant.

A major part of the concept of ‘Paying It Forward’ is giving without asking for anything in return. This principle is something I try to do, but as a human, I feel the pull of greed sometimes and accept or expect something in return for my charitable action(s). I think this is very tough for everyone. We have the tendency to feel like we deserve or earn for every action we do. We go to work, we expect a check. We do our chores, we expect an allowance. We go to a crab feed for our local school, we expect the best crab ever. Like I said earlier, I think it is just human nature to feel this way. However, we can all try to give small parts of our life and build to greater things to not expect anything for those actions. It just takes effort.

Last Christmas, my roommate and I bought about $35 worth of chips, peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches, cases of water, and fruit. We packaged lunch bags and drove around the poorer areas of Phoenix, Arizona handing pout these lunches. Some of the folks were somewhat offended and some were ecstatic. I think the best part about it was that I left knowing I, hopefully, helped someone with the expectations of receiving nothing in return. Sure, the gratitude that many of them showed was inspiration and moving, but I was not looking for any monetary item or physical assistance from these people. That day was all about giving without receiving and the effort it took was worth it.

Today, I implore you to go out and try and do three things for others where you are not looking to receive anything in return. No matter how small or big your efforts are, do three things. A few of my suggestions:

• Open the door for people coming in/out of the store
• Go to a family members home and offer up an hour of service to do whatever they need around the house
• Buy sandwiches for a family you know could really use a free meal

There are many things you can do and these are just a few of the millions. After performing this task, ask the individuals you have helped to Pay It Forward. Then I would love for you to come back here and chronicle your actions and reactions to the project in the comments section.

I think we can all make a difference. The changes do not have to be giving a million dollars to someone (but that would be really cool). A lot of times the small things can build up to be huge movements.

Good luck…and don’t forget to come back and tell me how it went.

David Damron
LifeExcursion