The concept can be documented as early as the 1700s based on a letter written by Benjamin Franklin, but it was the release of Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel of this name in 2000 that sparked doing something good for others into a national campaign. The book resulted in the formation of the Pay It Forward Foundation and later evolved into a major motion picture staring Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey. The movement continues to grow each year and now it’s time for us to do our part here in blogland.
I don’t know how far back this chain of Pay It Forward (aka "PIF") goes, but Grace at Lovin’ Comfort Knits participated last year and has revived the chain again this year. A couple of weeks ago she announced on her blog that she would send a handmade gift to the first three people who left a comment on her blog and who promised to do the same for three additional people. Here are the rules:
“Here is how it works! I’ll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week…LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that’s a promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog…”
Three people quickly signed up with Grace to participate so sometime in the next year they will be receiving a special gift from her. They, in turn, have asked three people to sign up with them so that they can pay the gift forward in their own way. Their three chosen people will then ask three more to carry on the movement, and so it goes.
I have joined Roseann of Firefly Nights as one of her "chosen people". So, now I’m looking for three of you who would like to receive a handmade gift from me, and who will promise to write about this on your blogs and offer to Pay It Forward to the first three people commenting on your Pay It Forward blog post. Like Roseann, all I can tell you is that my three will receive something from me within the next year. I’m guessing that if I don’t knit something for you, I might bead something for you, so something sparkly might your way come (earrings, stitchmarkers? who knows!).
Who's willing to take up the challenge? I need three of you to make the commitment to post about PIF on your blog and to make something nice for the first three people to sign up with you. Do I have any takers?
2 comments:
If I said I was not disappointed, I'd not be telling the truth... As of this morning, I have zero persons who'd like to participate. This is a nice thing to do, folks. I would love to meet some other knitters in other parts of the U.S. or anywhere else for that matter. I will look forward to meeting you.
Hi there, I will be your pay it forward number one person. And will post it on my blog so we can keep the chain going....
I'm in Maine and am MRSREDMST on Ravelry (which is where I ending up finding you).
Will post on my blog later today....
Hugs, Diane
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