Joseph Lotfy

Writerjoe99@hotmail.com

WE can’t see, taste, smell nor hear it. Yet, its success dates back thousands of years. There are no limits to its possibilities, rewards and actions. Presented with the right magnitude and direction, it can heal the mightiest of beasts, and create an everlasting peace and remembrance in your soul. We call it the “Pay It Forward” system.

Paying it forward starts with an act of good towards someone, and in turn that person does more good deeds for several others. It’s an incredibly easy system to start, but its power is that it creates a chain of reaction. I read a quote once from the great scientist, Albert Einstein, who once said, “A life lived for others, is the only life worth living.” Similarly, the catholic nun, Mother Teresa, once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” These people knew about the power of giving. If one gave, then a couple of people could spur a generation of giving.

In 2014, at a Florida Starbucks drive-thru, one man bought his morning coffee and the coffee for the person behind him, and that person bought the coffee for the person behind him, and it went on for 11 hours. These seemingly small acts of giving can have a lasting impression on our hearts.

“Pay it Forward” acts became very popular because it leads to two strangers becoming connected by a simple act of good. Your deed doesn’t necessarily have to happen between strangers. It can diversify into your friendships, community, colleagues and family.

Coincidently, the “Pay it Forward” system follows compounding in math: one person helps two people, 1²=2; two people help four people, 2²=4; three people help eight people, 2³=8. Now imagine what would happen if only 10 people helped? 210=1,024! If 10 people helped, then we would be able to help 1,024 people! We have over 7 billion people living on this beautiful earth. This simple act can help people one after another.

In our world, it’s vital that one country cooperates with other countries to improve import and export products and commodities to increase our GDP. The economy would be in rubble if they didn’t have support from importing and exporting. One of the necessary tasks of being president is to make sure you have cooperation with other world leaders, so the vital stream of imports and exports can continue into your country without a bump in the road. If one world leader chooses to make a major investment into another country then it would create a “Pay it Forward” domino effect through project funding, job creation and an increase in GDP.

President of China, Xi Jinping, seemed to embody this system when he proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, which is aimed at enhancing the connectivity and shared growth among countries on the routes. Progressive growth is needed not only for China, but other countries as well. One country cannot stand alone on its own feet without help from others.

There may be some bumps in the road, but that shouldn’t stop us from believing in our goal. “Pay it Forward” is a system of giving wholeheartedly, and it will expand to every industry because of our deeds.

(The author is a businessman and freelance writer from America.)