Pass it forward

Image: Tunnels of time by fdecomite

What is the most scarce resource we have? Time. You can’t save it, invest it, make more of it, or even spend it. You can only use it – and you can only use it Now.

And what is the most abundant resource we have? Love. The more you give it away, the more you have, and the more you get back. It never runs out, and we have infinite reserves in our hearts.

These two timeless principles are used beautifully by Alonso Alvarez Barreda in the video he produced for the Fourth annual Short Film Online Competition in Cannes, 2008 (you can watch the movie by clicking here or at the end of this post). In this story , a few words make someone’s day, all because a stranger was willing to give some knowledge, time, and love to another person.

I suggest you watch it; reflect it; and learn.

HISTORIA DE UN LETRERO (THE STORY OF A SIGN)

Do you know how to code? Want to help make the world a better place?

The Pass-it-forward movement needs you!!With the recently launch of a new feature on the ‘Pass It Forward’ card, we have stretched ourselves beyond our abilities for web development.

The new feature (called ‘good deed register’) is similar in nature to Bookcrossing . Every PIF card we release from today will have a unique identifier (PIF-ID) that will allow you to check the trail of good deeds that have come before yours, and those that happen after.

To make this happen, we need to do some heavy database-development on the PIF page. We’ll be happy to host the page on a commercial web site, but first we need to develop the engine.

Are you keen to help? Do you have experience on this kind of web development? Send us an email at info (at) pifaustralia.org, and let us know who you are, your experience, and the programming languages you know which could help us. If you have developed Open-Source software, let us know; we would like to offer this development to other web sites for free (if possible) .

The clamour for changing the world is going stronger. The One Voice movement is trying to resolve the middle-east conflict using non-violence…

… whilst a film maker is trying to unite people around the globe in watching, simultaneously, inspirational movies in a theatre near them on Pangea Day:What are YOU doing to change the world? Maybe you can get some ideas from this web site

I decided to search ‘Pay it forward’ in you tube. Amongst some truly inspirational videos, I found one made by another branch of this movement. It used some amazing music, and just words. Watch it. If you’re like me, your skin will CRAWL.

The original idea to ‘Pay it forward’ was made into a movie with Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt. Now, a movie called ‘Pass it on’ from Tropfest suggests the same, but with a twist.

When I started watching the movie, it made me remember a passage from the Bible:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-48)

Watched from that perspective, the tropfest movie “Pass it on” is a great advertisement for the Pass it forward movement, as it has a message similar to the one we’re trying to disseminate. What do you think?