Saturday, November 14, 2009

Day 5, 6 & 7



Ok, so I have to admit, this whole giving on purpose is really harder than it seems......  I mean, I'm a pretty giving person at it is, but when trying to give daily, I wonder if some of the things I give count?!  There really aren't any rules to this- at least not that I'm sure of?!  But on day 5, I was really struggling- a coworker was having a really hard time, she's had some medical issues surmounted with time off, hospital bills, doctor bills, lack of insurance, not to mention everything else that encompasses that, but then on top of everything else, she was just having some intense pain!  It was sooooo bad, and she was trying to be soooo strong, but being as stubborn as she was, she just really wanted to fight it out- I tried to lend my ear, to give her strength, but found that all I could really do was to give her a big old fat and juicy hug!!!  (And for those of you who know, I'm really not a big old fat and juicy touchy feely kinda huggy person!)  So, does that really count?  I really didn't "do" anything, but I did everything I really could.... 

Day 6... another day like before- I didn't give anything monetary- I think that's where my sense of "giving" keeps getting confused.... it doesn't have to be monetary, but genuine, heart felt and necessary.  So on day 6 I listened.  Something we could all really benefit from- just to stop and listen- sometimes that's all the other person really needs.  They don't necessarily need our judgement, our advice, our opinions or our two cents- they just need someone to listen.  And that's just what I did.      Later, of course, I checked back in and we brainstormed and we talked and we shared and again, I listened.

Day 7. 
A busy day.  I gave my time- attended Leadership Training for my son's Cub Scout Den.  Ran errands and decided to park just a little farther away and grab a cart from the parking lot on the way in- something we should all do- why not?!  You're going to use it as soon as you get inside anyway and it's one less cart for someone else to tote or to run away stray into the parking lot?!  Next stop, I intentially planned to go into the grocery store on the same side as the Salvation Army Bell Ringer to make sure to give my donation- my mom said she plans to give to each one she sees this year!  What a great idea!!!  I usually volunteer to ring the bells each year and haven't signed up yet and just might not physically be able to fit it in- but will definitely help where I can!  Once inside the store, I put my blinders on and challenged myself to get in and get out with everything on my list in just a very short amount of time.  In doing so, I failed to help the little old lady in her store owned power cart ramming it into the meat coolers as she tried and tried to turn it around while her frail husband stood ever so sweetly out of her way.....  I really don't think I could have jumped the counter and ran around and weaved through the other people in the store to help her before she managed it, but still, it woke me up and made me aware.  I travelled over to the toilet paper and mentally added two jumbo packs to my list as the kids have been begging me to get some the next time I go to the store as their classes are competing to see who can collect the most for the shelter bins.  Then I passed the sweetest little lady climbing up on the bottom shelves to reach the Sponge Bob Dixie Cups that were on the top shelf and knocked over and pushed back- she was ever so grateful!  I'm guessing she has grandkids?!  And still I managed to get everything on my list and out of the store in record time!!

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