We all have something to give. \u00a0A hand, an ear, an open heart, a word of encouragement or maybe it\u2019s time, money or knowledge. Giving is how we create meaning in our lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is service. I served and I saw that service is joy.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Khalil Gibran<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Giving creates a flow… it reaches out…. touches and transforms. Through giving we change the lives of others and in so doing find ourselves. If you ever thought what you can do won\u2019t make a difference, here\u2019s a great story. A grandmother, who lives in my community, was inspired to do something after a trip to Uganda. \u201cI\u2019d seen the kids living in a garbage dump,\u201d she explained, \u201cthe need was extreme.\u201d She came home and began doing what she did best, baking banana bread. She baked and sold banana bread and in 3 years she had raised enough money to build an orphanage in Uganda. She reached her goal and is now working on a second one.<\/p>\n I believed I was doing my part. But a recent wake-up call has left me knowing it\u2018s not enough.<\/p>\n Two weeks ago my husband and I were in Seattle. We joined the throngs of people caught up in the holiday spirit that had transformed the downtown into a festive wonderland. It was cold….an arctic front had wrapped the Pacific Northwest in a deep chill and temps were well below freezing. Rosy cheeked shoppers bundled in warm winter coats and \u00a0wrapped \u00a0in fluffy, soft, woolly scarves and mitts bustled merrily. \u00a0It was a perfect Christmas scene. We turned a corner.\u00a0 A young woman encased in a old dirty blanket held a cardboard sign that said, Depressed, no family, cold. Can you help?<\/em><\/p>\n We stopped just past her and turned to look at each other thinking the same thing. \u00a0She was close to our daughter\u2019s age. How did she land up here — on the streets of Seattle? What happened to her? Where was her family? We gathered all the cash we had \u00a0it totaled $8.00. I went back and handed it to her. She looked at me with sad, scared eyes. In a soft small voice she said, \u201cthank you. \u201dI wanted to cry\u2026my heart hurt.<\/p>\n I need to do more. Instead of checking things off Christmas lists I need to Give. I need to share more of what I have\u2026what we have.\u00a0 I need to give EVERYTHING<\/em> I can.<\/p>\n Giving touches the soul.<\/strong> \u201cI have found among other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.\u201d <\/em>Maya Angelou<\/p>\n Giving creates meaning and purpose.<\/strong> When we give we create significance and meaning\u2026we become a catalyst for change, we deeply understand we are all connected.<\/p>\n Giving changes the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0How to give—ask yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n What is important to me?<\/p>\n What do I deeply care about?<\/p>\n Where is help needed in my community?<\/p>\n Where can my knowledge or talent\/skill be applied?<\/p>\n If I could bring about any change what would I want it to be?<\/p>\n Brainstorm<\/strong> ways to maximize the number of lives you hope to touch and ways to increase your range of influence.<\/p>\n