Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
  • Pay it Forward disappointment >
  • Pay it Forward disappointment

  • Pay it Forward disappointment

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 08-02-2011, 01:32 AM
      #21  
    Super Member
     
    carolaug's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Location: Behind my sewing machine
    Posts: 7,202
    Default

    I am sure every person in this world has paid it forward one way or another...I have had people send me things here and there..a picture of a family member, a book etc..(family or friends).I always am very thank-for...I never even would have thought to send postage...as I would not expect them to pay me if I sent them a book, flowers, pictures, trickets etc...also in the future...if you tell the post office its a book it a lot cheaper. I use to send books to my daughter inlaw in CA. it was like 3.00 to send...they do not weight it its one set price for books.
    carolaug is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 02:58 AM
      #22  
    Senior Member
     
    SharBear's Avatar
     
    Join Date: May 2011
    Location: Rhode Island
    Posts: 460
    Default

    I think that when we PIF we have to accept that our "payback" is within our hearts. There's a difference between being good and wanting to look good.

    Let not your left hand know what your right hand does.
    SharBear is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 05:17 AM
      #23  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: May 2008
    Location: MN
    Posts: 24,644
    Default

    I dislike having something given to me with a Pay It Forward attached.

    I have chosen to make sure that most of whatever I put into circulation does NOT have a PIF attached. What the recipient chooses to do - or not do - is up to him/her.

    I just realized that's not completely true - I do ask if whatever it is - if it is not useful to him/her - to please pass it on.

    Now please read the rest of this before you jump on my case!

    I feel like there is a "catch" attached to something when someone says "Pay it Forward" - I don't rest easy or comfortable with the item until I have done a PIF. Sort of feels like a weight/debt that needs to be paid off.

    I am totally in favor of doing good things for others with no expectation of an immediate return. I do believe that "what goes around comes around"

    (Although wouldn't "casting bread on the waters" be considered "littering" or "polluting" now? - but I digress)

    I also feel it is reasonable to ask for shipping costs. Many of us acquired "stuff" when we had more money/cash available to us - now that we are ready to "let go" of some of the stuff - the cost of sending it on is what holds some of us back. We don't have the discretionary income anymore.

    However, the shipping cost should be asked for "up front" so there will be no lingering resentments/disappointments later.
    bearisgray is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 05:28 AM
      #24  
    Super Member
     
    LindaR's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Dec 2008
    Location: Michigan
    Posts: 2,916
    Default

    If I have something I know someone would be interested in I always tell them to send $5 in an envelope and I'll get it out....if PIF I just mail it and forget it...LOL
    LindaR is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 06:05 AM
      #25  
    Senior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Oct 2010
    Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts: 445
    Default

    Thank you. That is exactly what I was trying to say. After two days and nights of caring for a grandson(2year old) with a high fever with trips to the doctor and hospital, my thoughts did not come through. I was only thinking kindness and the joy of giving.
    Originally Posted by sharon b
    Maybe someday she will without even realizing it :wink: She will think of the kindness shown her and think "now its my turn to help someone else" :wink:
    Linda71 is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 06:29 AM
      #26  
    Super Member
     
    Olivia's Grammy's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Oct 2009
    Location: Fayetteville, GA
    Posts: 2,879
    Default

    Originally Posted by DebraK
    Maybe she paid it forward to someone else. It's not called pay you back ;-)
    Thank you for that thought. It's not always about me. I had a bad experience and that thought just made me rethink it. Hopefully the lady I helped did pay it foward and not backward. Thanks.
    Olivia's Grammy is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 06:30 AM
      #27  
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Posts: 887
    Default

    I just assume people PIF if possible and we rarely know. I believe we should give with a happy heart and it sounds like that is what you intended. Imagine researching to find a family member - how awesome are you. That was such a neat idea.

    I will say I have only been on the board here a few months and have sent fabric, patterns, scraps, etc. to probably 10 people now. Only 1 has offered to pay the postage. I was not offended as no where in the request did they mention they would pay postage they just asked if anyone had any to spare. I hope I've never accidently offended anyone because honestly if someone I did not know contacted me and offered to send me something it would never occur to me to offer her the postage back. I'll remember that for the future though.
    Zhillslady is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 06:35 AM
      #28  
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Posts: 887
    Default

    Not sure if you have a military base locally but if so just for future reference to everyone - you can take the info to the base office and they will attempt to locate the soldier. I did that with items from my grandfather. We live MacDill AFB.

    Originally Posted by Ramona Byrd
    Originally Posted by momcpo
    Good for you, don't worry about other people. Some just don't get it.
    --------------------------------------
    And most of the young don't get it either.
    In de-cluttering, I found some personal papers of 3 GIs who had, on being discharged, given my ExDH (now deceased) to keep tlll they called for them. One I finally found after looking on the internet, and found his only child, a son who must be about nearing or past his 50s, and sent them to him as I found them. I did get thanks by email, finally, after the last big postal envelope, but at no time did he even mention repaying me the 30 or so dollars it cost to send all these military records and masses of his family members' pictures. Even a marriage lic for his parents. Well, I guess that I did it as a final favor to my ex.
    The other two, unfortunately, had very common names and I finally forced myself to take them to the community shredding we have every year. Sad, there were so many photos and personal papers, but no way to find either one of these after nearly 50 or so years. Didn't even have any military numbers on them, that would have made it easier.
    But should I find any more in the storage building still to be gone through from this guy's dad, I will send it to him, with maybe a suggestion that he pay it forward. But like I said, it's a last favor for my ex. RIP Billy Bob H.
    Zhillslady is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 06:52 AM
      #29  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: Newberg, OR
    Posts: 1,911
    Default

    Originally Posted by bearisgray
    If you want/need/expect postage to be paid, it's better to ask for it up front.

    I can relate to how you feel, though.

    At least the person remembered to thank you!

    Now I am a bit puzzled - if you didn't want postage/shipping - and would have refused it if offered - why are you annoyed/disappointed that the person didn't offer to reimburse you for it?
    I wondered about this too. And I wonder why you assume the PIF chain was broken.
    catrancher is offline  
    Old 08-02-2011, 08:58 AM
      #30  
    Super Member
     
    valsma's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Apr 2011
    Location: USA
    Posts: 1,625
    Default

    Linda, you may never know if she pays it forward. Take pride in the fact that your took the time and expence to find and mail what is part of her family's history to her.
    You did a good thing.
    valsma is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    montanaquilter
    Main
    130
    11-16-2010 12:28 PM
    saf45
    Main
    5
    07-14-2010 09:43 AM
    aneternalpoet
    Main
    47
    07-10-2010 10:38 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter