Pay It Forward is a book, written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, which was later made into a movie of the same name. In the movie, a young boy, Trevor, was challenged by his teacher to come up with an idea that could change the world and to put this idea into action. Trevor decided to do a kind deed for three different people. These people then did the same to others. Each of these three people then did the same good deed for three other people. As a result, Trevor's one good deed led to nine acts of kindness and so the cycle continued.
Trevor may just be an imaginary character, but this work of fiction has been put into practice by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, an organisation set up to encourage people to carry out good deeds. People all over the world are experiencing the pleasure of having kind deeds done for them and they in turn reciprocate.
There are countless ways for people to show acts of kindness. It is not limited to giving money by donating to a needy cause, but we can also take time out to listen to someone who has a problem and needs a friend. "Somebody paid for my order at a restaurant once," says Syed Haizir. "It really made my day, so I try to do something similar as often as I can," he adds. Au Yeong, a student, also found inspiration from the movie, Pay It Forward. On some days, he buys copies of newspapers and puts a note between the pages saying, "Enjoy reading ... from someone who just wants to be kind." Then he gives the newspapers free to people waiting at the bus-stop or at the train station.
A little creativity is very helpful in making others happy. If you come across a humorous comic strip or an inspiring article, cut it out. Pass it on to someone who might be interested in reading it. This will put a smile on their face. Put together writing kits with stationery, envelopes, stamps or art supplies and hand them over to patients at a hospital. These items will come in handy to help patients keep in touch with friends as well as to keep them occupied. You can give students inexpensive raincoats which they can keep in their bags. On rainy days, these will really be appreciated: textbooks and uniforms can be kept dry, and colds may be prevented. A small act of kindness goes a long way.
There are indeed many ways to show kindness. You may think that being kind will cost you a lot of money. Even those with the kindest hearts can be overwhelmed by the idea of doing charity because they think it will take up too much of their time. However, you can do good deeds for others with just what you have, and the wonderful thing is that there are a lot of benefits for the people who do these deeds. When people help others, they feel great about what they do. They experience a greater sense of well-being which is critically important as it helps to reduce common problems like stress and depression. These people will be able to cope better with their own worries and problems.
Kindness has a way of catching on. Acts of kindness will give rise to more acts of kindness. When more people show kindness to each other, society will undergo changes. As each good turn leads to the next, the effect will multiply, thus producing a caring society where people will be more concerned for others. Consequently, this will lead to more positive effects like a lower crime rate and happier citizens.
We may start by wanting to do something good, without expecting to get anything in return at all. However, what a thrill it is to be on the receiving end. Somehow, someday, our acts of kindness will certainly come back to us.
Questions:
1) What is the name of the movie?
2) How did Trevor try to change the world?
3) What is the aim of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation?
4) Which word from the passage means 'do the same to others'?
5) What effect can a comic strip have on a person reading it?
6) Who does the word them refer to?
7) Give two reasons why some people are not prepared to do acts of kindness.
8) According to you, suggest two ways in which you can be kind to others. (Application)
Directed Writing: Write a letter to your friend sharing with him the experience of seeing the movie 'Pay It Forward'. Include the following points in your letter
| * the ways in which people can show acts of kindness, * the benefits that can be experienced from acts of kindness *what would you do to show acts of kindness.
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