That’s a Triple. I’m setting my present intention on another alcohol free day. Doing that will get me to a Quartet. And as I work to continue to improve myself, I’ve decided I need to focus on performing charitable acts.
I’d really like to do at least one consciously charitable act per day. Yesterday I was able to give the car wash attendant who toweled off my car an extra large tip. This morning I sent a ‘thinking about you’ text to an old friend.
While the former (giving money) may be more strongly associated with charity than the latter (nice text), there’s no underestimating the power of a friendly message.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Afterall, don’t we all suffer from feelings of loneliness and isolation from time to time. Perhaps we suffer from these things more than we’re willing to admit. Isn’t is possible that what is causing us to think of that person in the first place is the simple fact that they wish to be thought of? That they are sending out some sort of universal distress signal?
Is it not charitable then to give them the attention they deserve and desire. I know that I feel appreciated when I unexpectedly hear from someone I haven’t communicated with in a while. It makes my day. Wouldn’t you agree?
When someone reaches out to say hello, do I feel like the recipient of charity? No. But, that is what I am. Someone was thinking about me and wanted to let me know. So they ‘donated’ to me some of their positive vibes. I receive those vibes and am better for them. It’s the best kind of charity.
Of course, there are lots of ways to be charitable such as letting another car go first at an intersection or holding a door for someone. They may not seem like acts of charity, but they are. Kindness is a gift that we can never give or receive enough of.
Giving our time is obviously considered charity when donating it to a non-profit, but it’s the same when you’re willing to be an sympathetic ear to a friend in distress or a mentor to a coworker. Charity can even be something as mundane as having a friendly chat with the store clerk scanning your purchases and letting him or her know you appreciate them.
Now that I’m feeling so much more positive myself, that’s what I’m going to do more of – generate positive mojo and give that away to everybody I’m able to. You know, pay it forward. Feels great whether it’s a small act of kindness or a large amount of money. When we feel good we want others to feel good. It’s the positive feedback loop the world needs at the moment.
Today’s goal – Go for a Nickel.
Jump to the Day 18.
