Yes I Can Blog
#84 Pay it Forward
Monday, July 27, 2026 by deb Vellines
What does this mean? What can I pay forward?
Okay. Let’s think about what has helped you or a loved one with low vision. Tell someone about it. Pay it Forward isn’t all about money. It can be, but it doesn’t have to. More often, it means giving someone a helpful hint.
Perhaps in a support group meeting, someone shares how they can’t tell the difference between navy and blue pants. And maybe that’s something you struggled with until you found out about Be My Eyes. The volunteer who receives your call tells you which pair is navy and which is blue. A phone call solves the problem. By the way, after they tell you, you can put a safety pin in one pair or the other, so now you can tell the difference. When you tell someone about Be My Eyes, and they didn’t know it existed, that’s paying it forward. Here’s the link to learn more – Be My Eyes App - Let's see the world together.
Suppose you are talking to someone (blind or not) and discover they are depressed. Maybe they told you in so many words how miserable they feel because of whatever. You can pay it forward by telling them your secret for getting over depression – it might be that you discovered volunteering kicks your depression out of the park. Volunteering gives you purpose in your life.
Let’s say you are talking to someone whose doctor has suggested eye shots to stop their vision loss, and they say, “No one is going to put a needle in my eye.” And you are currently receiving eye shots every two months. “I promise you they don’t hurt. They put numbing drops in your eye first.” That explanation is paying it forward.
Of course, paying it forward can involve money. When low vision organizations request money, that’s a great way to pay it forward. Personally, I think the foundations that include research are the places I like to donate.
I can no longer help my mother since she died, and that’s why I started this blog – to help others. I’m paying it forward in her memory. She paid it forward all the time with visits to folks who had recently been told they had macular degeneration. She was a great example of a fulfilllng life doing what she wanted to do as her vision decreased.
Readers: Can you give us an example of how you pay it forward?
Previous Posts
#84 Pay it Forward
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#71 Anger
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#66 The Hadley School for the Blind
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#65 AIRA
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#64 Fanny Crosby
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#63 Derek Daniel and Life After Sight Loss
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#62 – 8 Hints for Cell Phones
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#61 Retinal Implants
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#46 Drug Update
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#45 Do You Volunteer?
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#44 5 Pinterest Pins
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#43 – Four Reference Books
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#39 Bioptic Telescopes
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#38 – CentraSight
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#37 – 11 Bathroom Hints
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#36 Public Restrooms
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#35 Helen Keller Quotes
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#32 Be My Eyes Call
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#31 Quiz Answers
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# 30 Quiz re: Sunglasses
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#29 Phone Apps Help Low Vision
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#28 News
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#27 – 9 More Ways to Help
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#26 – 9 Ways to Help
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#24 White Cane
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#23 Be My Eyes
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#21 Search Clinical Trials
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#20 Clinical Trials
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#19 Eye Injections (continued)
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#18 Eye Injections
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#17 Knowledge is Power!!
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#16 Update on Systems of Sight
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#14 Household Hints
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#13 Kitchen Hints
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#12 Reduce the Risks of Macular Degeneration
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#11 Beecher Binoculars
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#10 Talking Books and Magazines
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#9 Volunteer Work
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#7 Visual Magnifying Machine
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#5 Handling Money (continued)
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#3 I Have Low Vision Button
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#2 Sharing Items to Help
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#1 Welcome and Support Groups
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