BOUNTIFUL KINDNESS

Sunflower field up the street

Currently, there are a lot of charity events going on in our community. Charities such as “Light the Night” (to raise awareness for leukemia and lymphoma, obviously something near and dear to our hearts) and the United Way Campaign. Which led to the great conversation the other day with a friend of mine about charities, helping others in need and simply “paying it forward.”

You see, a long time ago, I knew what it was like to have no food in my refrigerator or cabinets and once upon a time, I struggled to make ends meet. Those are days that are forever imbedded in my brain. Going without is something that you NEVER EVER forget. Did I die from it? Obviously not! But it made me more appreciative and thankful for the things I have worked for through the years. I do not take a whole lot for granted, that I can promise you.

So whenever I donate money or my time, I am contributing it towards something that I feel has importance. If I want to see food available to homeless people in my community, I can donate to the local food pantry or soup kitchen. If I want to fight global warming, there are plenty of organizations that are fighting for such change. The real question here is to find something with enough importance to YOU.

Once you have given something to a charity that you truly believe in, you feel good about it. Your money and time went towards a cause that you believe in, a cause that combined with the similar actions of others can actually bring about change in the world. That is not something you can get from buying just any ol’ thing (shoes, purses, jewelry, etc.). Giving a gift WITHOUT any expectations of getting one back in return is also very important. I still believe we can change the world and make people’s dreams come true even though at times we may feel the world is full of greed, impatience and folks with a “give me, give me” mentality. So I ask you this, IF you could help people achieve their dreams in some way (doesn’t matter how), would you do it WITHOUT any expectations of getting anything at all back in return?

If you answered with a resounding YES to this question please continue reading. If, however, you answered no, I want you to leave this blog because you clearly do not understand nor do you practice random acts of kindness. Aha, you are still here…. somehow being a friend of mine, I knew you would be. :) Congratulations, you have passed the first test in the true meaning of the law of reciprocation.

I have learned through the years that the more I give and help others, the greater theirs and my life will be. What you ultimately give to other people always comes back to you like a boomerang - at lightning speed! I know some of you do not have the financial means to give but clearly you can give other things…. your time being the most important one. YOU can make a difference in someone else’s life, whether it is an ear so people can vent their frustrations, a smile to encourage others to keep going, or a helping hand to help them back up on their feet. Trust me sometimes those things mean more than money. :)

It is called the “Law of Reciprocation.” I urge you to go practice it today! I bet you will smile more than you have in years. :)