Written by Toastmaster: Rory Vaden
"For me, my struggle with giving changed from an unexpected encounter…
I once had the honor of watching the late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones be awarded a lifetime achievement award for how much money he had donated. During his acceptance speech he told a story of a young boy who was watching his mother pay bills. The little boy asked “Mom, what are you doing?” She replied “Well honey, I am paying bills- which means I am writing checks to pay money for the work that other people have done for me.”
Suddenly the little boy had an idea! That day he worked extra hard around the house and slipped a note under his mom’s bedroom door at night. When she woke up the next morning she saw this piece of paper, which said “BILL” at the top. Underneath it said “Taking out the trash – $5. Doing the Dishes – $10. Cleaning up my room – $20. Total Amount Due – $35.” That day the mom paid the young boy $35 in cash.
However, the next morning the little boy woke up and saw a piece of paper under his door. At the top it was marked “BILL.” Underneath it said, “Cooking for you every day that you’ve been alive – $5000. All the clothes you’ve ever worn – $10,000. Changing all of your diapers and cleaning up after you your entire childhood – $20,000.”
The only difference was at the very bottom it said “Total Amount Due – $0. Paid in full by the love that you give me each and every day.” Rory Vaden on giving
Pass it on!
So friends what if you don't have much money, but you have time? What is time worth? I guess what you think it's worth? It's worth what the story said " paid in full by love!"
Pay It Forward! The Movie
When eleven and a half year old Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) begins seventh grade in Las Vegas, Nevada, his social studies teacher Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) gives the class an assignment to devise and put into action a plan that will change the world for the better. Trevor's plan is a charitable program based on the networking of good deeds. He calls his plan "Pay It Forward", which means the recipient of a favor does a favor for three others rather than paying the favor back. However, it needs to be a major favor that the receiver can't complete themselves.
My speech John!
From seeing the movie, In 2000, I created a story that year, then in 2010 to be turned into a speech " John ".
John was the town drunk, and that Sat. in Jan. the town council gave John an award! Before the city council they thanked John for all the interesting moments he had provided the town of 'Hope'. The last words from the Mayor as John turned to leave, John this is your last day in the town of Hope! That night after John had left a party for him, at the local bar, with his life slung over his shoulder, beer in hand, he approached the bridge to leave Hope. As he glanced at the sign " Leaving Hope" he stopped and knelt looking looking back reflecting on his sad life!
Then he heard the screams, he looked up, at a woman standing high above him, as she yelled leave me alone I am going to jump? At that moment John's whole life passed before him ' many times he has wanted to jump'!
John, talked that woman down that night. John knew what it was like to want to jump! As they stood arm in arm, she looked in his eyes, she asked how can I repay you? John, said just "Pay It Forward". At that moment John threw his LAST beer off into the river.
It was twenty years later, John was working on Wall Street. That Sat. morning in Jan., John was reading the Wall Street Journal. On page 20 he saw an interesting story about a woman, with a familiar face, it was the same woman from the bridge twenty years before.
The story was about this woman who had payed it forward, she went on to create the world famous "Pay It Forward" movement. She said she had never know the name of the man on the bridge that night, but she wanted to say 'THANK YOU.
As the tears rolled down John's cheeks, he knew it was her who had saved his life! Thank You, he cried!
York
John was the town drunk, and that Sat. in Jan. the town council gave John an award! Before the city council they thanked John for all the interesting moments he had provided the town of 'Hope'. The last words from the Mayor as John turned to leave, John this is your last day in the town of Hope! That night after John had left a party for him, at the local bar, with his life slung over his shoulder, beer in hand, he approached the bridge to leave Hope. As he glanced at the sign " Leaving Hope" he stopped and knelt looking looking back reflecting on his sad life!
Then he heard the screams, he looked up, at a woman standing high above him, as she yelled leave me alone I am going to jump? At that moment John's whole life passed before him ' many times he has wanted to jump'!
John, talked that woman down that night. John knew what it was like to want to jump! As they stood arm in arm, she looked in his eyes, she asked how can I repay you? John, said just "Pay It Forward". At that moment John threw his LAST beer off into the river.
It was twenty years later, John was working on Wall Street. That Sat. morning in Jan., John was reading the Wall Street Journal. On page 20 he saw an interesting story about a woman, with a familiar face, it was the same woman from the bridge twenty years before.
The story was about this woman who had payed it forward, she went on to create the world famous "Pay It Forward" movement. She said she had never know the name of the man on the bridge that night, but she wanted to say 'THANK YOU.
As the tears rolled down John's cheeks, he knew it was her who had saved his life! Thank You, he cried!
York
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