Assignment: Paying it Forward

Overview:

William Penn is credited with saying, "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." This statement is similar to the idea behind "paying it forward," or performing a random act of kindness for a stranger, who in turn would do another random act of kindness for another stranger, and so on. This is a philosophy popularized recently by Starbucks and the media.

Directions:

Respond to all the following items in your initial post by Sunday. In addition, engage with your classmates by making comments and/or asking questions that build upon your peer's posts.

• If money were no issue, what is something you would do for another person or group of persons to "pay it forward" (besides buying them a cup of coffee in the drive through line)?

• Why would you like to do it?

• What do you hope would be the outcome of this act?

• After considering this, do you feel that it would "make a difference"? Why?

You will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length.