Former Recipient Continues to Pay-It-Forward

My story starts several years ago, when I myself was a beneficiary of someone else who believed in paying it forward.....A few years ago, I was a struggling single mother with three small children, two in school and one just about a year old.  Throughout my married life, I had done mostly volunteer work, and did not have much of a resume to speak of.  But there I was, with a third grader, a fifth grader, and a toddler.  My children were both attending a Catholic School, and I did not want to pull them from that school.  It was important to me that they get the same kind of education that I had growing up. 

Since I had no real resume to speak of, and no real job experience other than volunteer work, I worked through temporary agencies to try to build up experience while looking for a permanent position.  We did not have much, and everything I had went towards rent, food, utilities, tuition, and all the other bills that make up our lives.  One month, I got a call from the school telling me my children could not come back the next day because I was a week late with tuition.  It was only a week, but apparently, that was enough for the school to suspend my children.  I called my older son's teacher and told her that my child would not be at school for a week because it would be another week before I could pay tuition.  She said she would send home the homework for me.  I called my middle child's teacher to let her know as well, and she talked to me forawhile, asking questions about my life, my children, my family etc...

About an hour after we hung up, she called me back to tell my tuition had been paid.  She did not tell me where the money came from, only that it was a gift from the heart that I was being asked to accept.  It was an anonymous donation from someone who wanted to help.  I can't even begin to tell you how humbled and grateful I was, in addition to feeling just a bit humiliated.  I tried to pay them back a month later, through the same teacher, and I was told to "Pay it forward".  I had never heard that expression before but I knew immediately what it meant. 

Since that day all those years ago, I have made every effort to remember the kindness of that generous donor and pay it forward. 

About three years ago, a young boy in my son's class was diagnosed with cancer.  I didn't have much money, but I knew I had finally had a way to repay the kindness I had been given a few years earlier.  I organized a fundraiser for this family and we raised $5000.00.  The kindness of the people in our church and school overwhelmed me.  It was truly a humbling experience.  We gave the family gas certificates to help pay for the commute to hospital in Bethesda, we gave them gift certificates to the grocery store and to restaurants close to their home and close to the hospital.  And we gave a donation in their son's name to the Make A Wish Foundation.  We also organized a schedule for people in the parish to take turns bringing the family dinner on the nights the mom was at the hospital.  Needless to say, they were overwhelmed.

Their son recovered and remained cancer free for a year, but then it came back this past year and their battle began again.  Our children are no longer in the same school, but the family's need is still as great as it ever was.  I was getting ready to go on a work trip and was spending the Sunday before I had to fly cooking dinners for my children that I could freeze and the babysitter could cook in my absence.  As long as I was cooking for my family, I decided I may as well go ahead and double the recipes and cook for this other family as well.  The day before I had to leave, I knocked on their door and had them help me carry in the 6 complete dinners I had made for them.  They wanted to know how they could ever repay me.  I told them to Pay it Forward.  It was my way of repaying a kindness that had been given me years ago.  They know the movie and they knew what I meant.  What I gave wasn't much, but it meant the world to them. 

Very few people had come forward this time around when their son was sick, unlike the first time.  I wanted to do more, but all I could offer was to pick their children up from school (they have 3 other children), take them to practices, baby sit when the parents need to be at the hospital, pick up groceries for them when I was out shopping, and help with whatever else they needed.  Sometimes, the greatest gifts we receive have no discernable monetary value.  Every time they asked me how they could repay me, I gave them the same answer, "Pay it forward".  I truly believe they will.  I still have not repaid my debt, but I know that the opportunity will present itself in due time. Giving truly is more rewarding than receiving.