The phrase Pay it forward describes a simple but powerful concept: instead of repaying a good deed or kindness to the person who helped you, you help someone else, thus passing the goodwill along. This creates a chain reaction of generosity and positive action.
- **Coined:** Lily Hardy Hammond (1916, phrase); widely popularized by Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel and the 2000 movie. - **Current Use:** Describes acts of kindness paid onward to others, a concept now embedded in charity work, viral trends, and daily life.
# Origin & Coinage The idea behind "pay it forward" has ancient roots (there are echoes in works by Benjamin Franklin and even earlier classical sources), but the **specific phrase** “pay it forward” is widely credited to **Lily Hardy Hammond**, an American novelist and social reformer, in her 1916 book *In the Garden of Delight*. She wrote: > "You don’t pay love back; you pay it forward."
# Modern Popularization The phrase entered mainstream popular culture after the release of the novel *Pay It Forward* by **Catherine Ryan Hyde** in 1999, which was then adapted into a movie in 2000 starring Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt, and Kevin Spacey. The movie helped make the concept globally recognized.
# Contemporary Use - **Everyday Acts:** People often use the term when they perform small acts of kindness with the hope the recipient will help someone else in turn (e.g., buying coffee for the next person in line, helping a stranger, volunteering). - **Movements & Organizations:** There are now many organizations, campaigns, and even designated days (like **International Pay It Forward Day** in April) encouraging people to “pay it forward” through acts of kindness. - **Social Media & Virality:** The phrase frequently appears in social media hashtags (#payitforward), often alongside posts describing random acts of kindness, charitable giving, or community support. - **Business and Philanthropy:** Some businesses or charities run “pay it forward” campaigns, where, for example, a product or service is gifted to someone in need, with encouragement to keep the chain going.
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