Paying it Forward

I reminded my kids about the “paying it forward” concept about a month ago. I had sorted through all the old computer games and educational software that they had outgrown, put all 52 zillion of them into a zippered CD case, and was packing it up to ship off to a friend with four kids under five. When my boys asked what I was doing, I reminded them that they had recieved dozens of computer games from their uncle several years ago, when their cousin had outgrown them.

“Do you remember getting that package of games from Uncle Ed?” I asked.

Nods and grins all around. That package was like Christmas in July, and they remembered it years later.

“Well, I didn’t pay Uncle Ed back. I’m paying that gift forward, now.”

They thought this was the most excellent of ideas.

A couple pay-it-forward contests that show the wonderful spirit of the online writing community that I have grown to love:

B. Miller is hosting a pay-it-forward contest. Prize: she will purchase your book and review and tweet/FB up a storm about it. How’s that for supporting fellow writers? Awesomeness.

My beloved commenter KarenG is following B. Miller’s lead with her own contest, where she has the same offer to purchase/review your book, but also has a MS critique on offer. All around awesomeness.

Hop over, enter, or just find another way to pay a small goodness forward. Making the world a better place feels all kinds of nice.