Have you ever performed an act of kindness "just because"? In school, we were given an assignment to "Pay it Forward". We watched a movie about a boy our own age who tried to make the world a better place to live in. Grade 8 students, such as myself, are assigned to complete an act of kindness; and not only expect anything in return but to realize the feelings of giving rather than receiving. There are many things you could do for this type assignment such as: babysitting, shoveling snow, donate to charities and many more. I decided to help my parents by shoveling the snow in the front and back yard. I wanted to do so once it had snowed a bit, so I could have something to shovel.
I shoveled my parents' front yard walkway and backyard walkway. Living here, I know how cold it can get first hand, so I wore the thickest, biggest, and warmest jacket I owned, and ski pants, winter boots, a hat, a scarf, and gloves! To say at the least, I was very warm. I waited to shovel the snow once it had snowed outside and there was a fair amount of snow piled up. Unfortunately, it was windy, so it blew snow around. It took me roughly one hour or so to finish the deed. I felt content about what I did because I know I did something worth while by helping others rather than myself for once.
My sister had taken a photo of my while I was shoveling snow. I told her to "Pay it forward" too. She responded by asking, "What's paying it forward?" I told her "Instead of paying someone back, do something nice for another person, and so on."
When my parents came home from a hard day of work, they were surprised to see the walk ways were cleared, and shoveled. My dad was pleased to see what I had done, he even offered to pay me for the work I did. Obviously, I did not accept the offer. I told him "Pay it forward." My family thinks pay it forward is a good idea, and I think so, too!
For this type of assignment, the possibilities are virtually endless. There are so many things things you can do, so the result should be grand. Each student in each class had done at least one kind act. Roughly, if there are about 30 students in each class, and there are 4 homerooms. That means there are at least 120 students each doing at least one good deed in grade 8. That's 120 good deeds being done, just for the sake of doing a kind act! If each of those 120 people affected by this assignment were to "Pay it Forward" that would make 240 people affected by "Pay it Forward". The numbers grow exponentially, and "Pay it Forward" is a really great cause! Anyone can get involved, so you should too!
