Pay it Forward 2011: Giving

“Pay it forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. (I promise!) They in turn must post this and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011” #payitforward2011

 I saw this in my Facebook timeline recently and, though I did pause for a moment to consider whether my ‘hectic’ schedule (for which please read the Kidlings’ hectic schedule) would allow me the chance to get five hand-crafted gifts ready before 2012, I went ahead and signed up. I happen to know that the person whose status this was on makes truly extraordinary things. I duly changed my status in turn offering five of my friends the chance to own something made by me, and was truly flattered by how quickly they said yes. And now this status is doing the rounds of the people on Facebook and every time I see it in my timeline, I give a little smile. I love the randomness of the idea. It’s a good example of the power of the internet bringing people together. You may not be close physically, you may not have seen each other for years, you may never have met in real life, and yet, by giving a little of yourself you can bring joy and excitement to another person.

When The Threeva was born, I received in the post a gorgeous pair of hand-knitted Ugg boots from a very kind person I met through Mumsnet: we were both on the long road to conception and though she didn’t know me she spent hours of her time making such a thoughtful gift to celebrate my happiness. I was delighted when, earlier this year, I could send her something in return on the birth of her precious and much-wanted little boy. Before Christmas I participated in a Secret Santa, sending a small gift to someone whose blog I admired. In return another blogger sent me a very thoughtful gift. I have never met either of them. And if the DH keeps arranging our holidays to coincide with Cybermummy, I will never have the opportunity. Today I read in  my twitter feed that the many readers of Lori’s blog have very generously given nearly $4000 to tide her and her very young children over after the sudden and unexpected death of her much-loved husband. I frequently hear or read remarks to the effect that the internet is slowly making society more insular; that people aren’t interested in their local community; that children spend all their time online or gaming and no longer know how to be good neighbours. Yet here are three clear examples of the generosity of people who are technically strangers.

I have some thinking to do about what I shall make for those ‘friends’ that have signed up to the 2011 Pay it Forward gift. I still have eleven months left so the chances are I shall get round to it at some point. I’ve been meaning to work on my baking skills so this is a good opportunity. In fact I wrote a letter to 2011 on the eve of the New Year asking, perhaps even begging, to make 2011 better than 2010. That’s probably my word for the year: better. I want to be a better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better blogger, a better human being. To which end, I would like to continue in the vein of Pay It Forward 2011 and offer to my lovely blog readers. I feel that I may have reached my limit for making things, for now at least, but I would like to offer a guest post to twelve bloggers. That’s one for every month of the year. You can ask me to write on a specific subject, or get me to do some task and blog about it. You can ask me to show you something new, research something for you, or get me to update your blog whilst you are on holiday, whatever you like (so long as it’s not illegal or immoral- there are limits!) In return there is one stipulation: that you Pay It Forward. In return for a blog post written by me you must offer up something on your blog. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a guest post or twelve guest posts, a gift, a ticket, a day out, a proposal. You merely have to give something back to the blogging community that supports you.

Now I just have to sit anxiously and wait to see if anyone takes me up on this and whether the #payitforward2011 love will travel. Please head over to Sleep is for the Weak and check out the other entries for the giving-themed Writing Workshop.