Pay it forward.

I was sitting and just turning channels today afternoon at 3 PM when I just happened to see a glimpse of a movie on HBO. Most of the time I didn’t feel like watching any movie on these channels as I was always midway and there was no point to watch it as I couldn’t understand. Today I was at the right time and I saw a small boy reading something written on the blackboard. The teacher, who happened to be the social science teacher, had given an assignment to them and it was written: ‘Do something that will change the world.’

The teacher was talking to the students in a way he could make his message reach through. The students who were seventh graders were listening to him carefully and also expressed their dislike regarding the assignment topic. There was one boy, Trevor who was reading out aloud that was written on the blackboard found the idea positive instead and asked few questions to his teacher.

“Do you really mean that we have to change the world? If we don’t change anything then we can flunk, is it?”

“No Trevor. It’s not that. What I want you all do is to something good that will be helpful in changing something. The realm of possibility is in our mind”

“Okay!”

This was a short conversation. I liked it and that made me watch the whole movie. The students found different concepts and started giving their ideas. Trevor didn’t do much but just worked out a diagrammatic representation that was mathematical as well as a brilliant idea. It was something like this that he drew.

This showed how one can make a difference and he started thinking of some changes he could make. A small kid who knew he can’t run out into the world to make some big change but the concept that he gave was named ‘Pay it forward’.

He started from home. His mom was working as a stripper in a casino cum bar and his dad had left them 10 years ago. His mom had a habit of drinking and she continued to. He found out means to stop that and also gave her some learning to live a new life. His mom always came home in a drunken stupor and there was nothing that she was aware of. In the event of doing this assignment, he also got a vagabond (who stayed nearby) home thinking he could give him a new life. Trevor’s mom was furious at this but the vagabond had to pay the favour forward so he repaired the car for the lady. The vagabond again prevented a lady from committing a suicide when in turn the lady helped another child, thus following the concept of ‘Pay it forward’. In the same way the circle continued and it ended with Trevor who made this concept immortal with him. To know how all this happened do watch this movie of you get a chance.

I loved the concept of the movie. it didn’t have any actors whose name I can remember but it was excellent from my point of view.

To sum up the movie I can say that it gave 2 messages:

To have faith in the goodness of the people.
“We all make mistakes”- do forgive.
When we get something good then we must pay it forward. The chain continues and so does the goodness.


So, following this concept I am also spreading the message that the movie gave. Hope you get a chance to watch it.