Pay It Forward

If you've not seen the movie or understand the concept of Pay it Forward it can be summarized by doing something nice for someone else with the expectation that they will not respond in kind to you, but do something nice for someone else.  What a beautiful concept, and I believe one that we can easily insert into our daily lives.  Whether it is to compliment a stranger on the street by saying something kind, or to give someone a seat on a bus or to pick up something that someone has dropped these kindnesses are effortlessly accomplished and does nothing but good. 

I am proud to say that when it snows my wife almost always uses our snow thrower to plow the entire block and the music school across the street.  Some very dear friends of mine will often anonymously pick up the tab at a restaurant if they see naval cadets dining, knowing that many of them come from modest families and are doing a great service to our country.  These are things they absolutely don't HAVE to do, but are great things to do.  As some might say, "it is good karma."

For myself I have tried to mentor talented individuals in the performance arts.  Because I have business experience as well as entertainment experience I am able to build web sites, create marketing campaigns, help get bookings and otherwise get people started on their way.  In a smaller way I try to hold doors open, tell retail clerks when they do a good job, wave to the local police, say hello to the neighbors and otherwise be as positive as I can.  I find that even in this somewhat lengthy stretch between jobs I can keep up my outlook by being positive and interacting well with the folks that I meet.