I would say it is more of a circular experience. Maybe when you stopped to help selflessly, you were 'paying forward' after somebody has helped you. So maybe your act of kindness is creating the balance that someone did a kindness for you. If you do it expecting a future payback, it is still not selfless. If you do it because it is what is right then it doesn't matter if it never comes back around to you. It is not usually the ones we help that help us back or that helped us first. It is more circular. A helps B, and B helps C, and C helps D, and D helps A or even E or Z. On the other hand, if we are all one body anyway, then in a sense, we help ourselves as we help others. However, if we all had the attitude of helping others, this world would be heavenly. If the whole world is helping each-other, then surely it will get back to you.

I have always gone through life that what you give unconditionally will come back to you in the form that you gave. In otherwords, if you gave time, you will have opportunities for you to enjoy your time, If you gave help, you will be helped when the most opportune time is needed, If you gave monetary, you will receive monetary.

In my humble opinion.... I would like to offer that: this has nothing to do with giving unconditionally, helping people or anything other "feel good cliche". It's really all about energy. The energy vibration that you (are) offer...is what you get back in return. If you offered impatience or "I don't care attitude" to the person with the "snow issue" ... then you what have gotten that energy back (sooner or later). The Universe is very fair... quite the stickler on keeping things exactly balanced. You create your vibration thru your thoughts/beliefs, etc. But you get back or attract...that which vibration you are. Your dominant emoting vibration...creates your very existence minute by minute. Everything that you do, that you are, that you create and are in contact thru out the day...is a direct reflection of your vibration.

This is why a "negative" person always complain about how nobody wants to help them, they can't get a break, etc etc. The person who is vibrating at a higher frequency (we always have full control of our frequency)....will always attract good things from people around them. Why? Because that energy Must flow back to them...to keep the "energy scales balanced".

Energy is neither created or destroyed...just transformed~ einstein

I have two twists on this topic…

First, the phrase”Give and you shall receive”. I do not think this is related to the actual act of giving as much as it is giving of the thoughts of that which one desires. If one desires Peace they must give and maintain thoughts of Peace. If one desires health they must see themselves in a state of health.

Second, when someone goes out of their way to assist me or does something for me that I see was an act of kindness then I pledge to myself to honor this person by multiplying their act 2-fold. Thus, if I receive assistance, I then find 2 people I can assist. Additionally, if I assist someone and they ask if they can pay me for assisting them, I simply ask them to find 2 people in need of help and to assist them simply out of the kindness of their own heart. Through this philosophy, I am constantly giving more than I receive.

Jim

I help people because that's what you do. Period
peace

First of all I want to say is good job on the front wheel drive observation.

Yes I do believe we are here to further God's kingdom on Earth and that involves helping others, having compassion for others, forgiving others, and holding no grudges against others.

All of this comes back to us however this is not the reason we do these things, we do them because these are fellow human-beings. We know if we were in the same situations we wish we would be treated so kind so we become God's angels for these people.

My pastor in Mississippi told a story of a man that paid his bus fair one day. He hadn't correct change and wanted to make change, the bus driver said no. A man behind him said "I'll pay his and his wife's way." He got on and paid for them both then he walked all the way through the bus and got off the back of the bus. In other words he did not want a ride on the bus but he did want to pay for the pastor and his wife's way, he was just there to pay and leave. They had no idea where he came from or where he went or even who he was, he was just someone listening to God to be their angel.

Definitely your actions, negative or positive, will return to you. It is stated in:

1. Jesus' words
2. The concept of karma from Hindu philosophy

I think it is more than enough to prove it right.

Give just because you can. You will receive something I don't know what. For me it is a license to be able to ask if I need help. I am never ashamed to ask for whatever I need. I had to get a large sofa upstairs from the street. I ask neighbors until I found a person to help.