Robert Heinlein and Pay It Forward Day

This email was originally posted on April 25, 2018


Once upon a time, one could go to virtually any library in the land and venture over to the science fiction section.  There would be all sorts of great stories by great writers such as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke, but my favorite author was Robert Heinlein


Throughout my teenage years, I spent countless hours reading Heinlein's novels and short stories. They often provided an escape from the all too bleak landscape of Victorville in the 1960s and 1970s. What joy I had during those years when, for a few moments, I was able to escape the confines of this world for the possibilities of a future world were mankind was no longer earthbound.

Alas, those days are long gone and my most recent visit to the library revealed that the works of Heinlein have almost disappeared from the shelves.  That seems sad to me because it seems that my memories of youth are disappearing with them. However, at least one of Heinlein's ideas continues to live.  The notion of "Pay It Forward" is greatly attributed to Robert Heinlein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward

and tomorrow (for most of us and on Saturday for the rest) is the day known as Pay It Forward Day.  In Heinlein's memory, and/or just to advance peoplekind just a little bit, I hope you will join me in doing something on that day that helps somebody to pay it forward for the next.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

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