One might wonder why this generous gesture would even be appropriate or necessary in the life of a person going through cancer treatments, grieving the loss of a loved one, or trying to cope with caring for a newborn.  Friends going through what we call "life changing events" often think backward.  Back to before the diagnosis, the accident, or the death. Before whatever changed their life forever. It does not mean they regret how their life is today, but there is a natural tendency to sometimes look backward...just as there is a natural tendency to look forward. Paying it forward by doing a good deed backward is just a fun way to have a diversion in the middle of it all that reminds us that life, in spite of whatever has happened, is good. We can put smiles on faces, and smiles do wonders towards lifting spirits, even in the worst of times.

  

The most amazing part of paying it forward to a stranger is that one never knows how much that stranger may have needed an uplifting smile at the very moment your act of kindness came along, or the positive energy will flow forward from that person on to the next.

  

To go along with the Backward Day theme, here are some other ideas of ways you can help you friend:

• Ask if there are still items that need to be returned BACK to the store after the holidays - you can easily do the returns.
• Put trash cans BACK in their place after they've been emptied.
• Take BACK dishes from holiday leftovers.

Of course, these ideas not need not be limited to January 31st!