No doubt many of you have seen the film starring Kevin Spacey, Hayley Joel Osment and Helen Hunt ‘Pay It Forward’. What I hadn’t realised until fairly recently is that it is based on a true story – a true movement.
Just a while ago I typed into Google search Pay It Forward and The Movements website came up – avoiding all the You Tube clips of the film of course – and I took a closer look through.
There are plenty of individual stories that are listed and although I didn’t take the time to read everyone, there was one story featured that I decided to read. I don’t know why but I was compelled to continue through to his story.
Kenneth’s Story
It certainly didn’t sound as if Kenneth was anything other than a ‘regular’ guy, leading a fairly normal life working in a restaurant. He was however someone with a conscience something I know you all have. At work a biscuit was given with the bill at the end of the meal as a way to say thank you (often you get mints). Whether the customers took the biscuit was neither here nor there, but instead of just throwing it away he would give the biscuits to a guy he walked past that lived on the streets.
After about a month of doing this he actually stopped and talked to the guy and learned so much about him and how he came to where he was o the streets. Eventually understanding, Kenneth did something incredible, something not many people would do. He decided to reach out and help. He picked him up after work one day, took him shopping to buy a suit and then took him to a temping agency so he could find a job. He called in a favour from a friend to do this and as a result, our street fella was offered a job however it was out of town and he would have to move. Kenneth said he would pay for a motel room, his travel on the bus to and from work and his food expenses until his first pay packet came through. And that’s exactly what he did! Our newly employed street guy asked how he could ever repay Kenneth. Instead of payment to me, I want you to pay the favour to someone else who could really do with your help.
Some year’s later back in the same area as the restaurant Kenneth worked at, the guys eventually had a chance meeting and all was revealed.
The job he got him soon was promoted and did so well he was able to buy himself a house. He soon came across and inner city youth, broken family and had no real parenting. He discovered the child loved baseball and soon he established a team with the other local kids. He provided all the equipment including their uniforms. He would take the boys to baseball games and eventually became their teams coach and ‘big brother’ in their neighbourhood. He also taught the boys about how small acts of kindness can change anyone’s life for the better.
All of this was made possible by one person taking a chance on another. Essentially though each of the recipients was heard, they were listened to.
Think about whom you pass every day, wonder what their story is and maybe open your heart to them. Pay it forwards is a magnanimous thing. Who could you reach out to?
If nothing else, just watch the film, even if you have already seen it, it will leave its mark on you.
Until next time,
Antonia
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