At the end of January I went to my second Pass It Forward Party and it was wonderful. The concept is a simple one. Get a group of like-minded people together who will go out and initiate random acts of kindness throughout the area and then re-assemble and share their experiences. The idea is the brainchild of Bob Hoffman, and BCP's random act of kindness was to donate a web site dedicated to the group, ePifanyNow.org. The intention is that the site will create an online record of some wonderful ways people have randomly helped their neighbors – and inspire others to do likewise.
What I found most gratifying was the wide range of ages present at the event. The room was packed and everyone from first graders to retirees were represented. There were sports teams, families, friends and individuals. The event had a wonderful vibe. The recollections were heartfelt and inspiring, and “Passing It Forward” didn't need to cost participants a cent. One group stopped in at a retiree home and played music for the seniors. Another collected soda bottles and then contributed the proceedings to help needy families with groceries. One even paid for gas for a woman's car (and the woman tearfully confided it was the first time she had ever had a full tank of gas).
The hope is that similar events will spring up around the area and around the country – this time associated ePifanyNow events took place on the same day in Grand Rapids and on the MSU campus. You don't necessarily need to wait for an event to take part. Just look for an opportunity that is right for you and do it.