The season of giving is now in full swing. Many of you may have already finished all your shopping for your family and friends, while others of you most likely haven't even started and will wait to the last minutes (this is normally me). But it seems that most get into the mindset of getting gifts, and worry about what they'll get instead of what they are giving. It's as if the true meaning of the season has been lost.
This isn't the season of getting. It's the season of giving. Sure, times are rough and money is tight for a good amount of people. You don't have to give large gifts or large amounts of money, but just be thoughtful. Pay it forward.
A few years ago, my mom came home from work with a movie called "Pay It Forward" starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment. In the movie, paying it forward is described as doing three good deeds for the one good deed that person had received. Watching this movie helped changed my view on society and left me wanting to help in anyway I could.
By paying it forward, you could be doing any number of things. You could pay for the toll for the person behind you, you could leave a card with some money on a random car in a parking lot, give food to a local soup kitchen. Anything. Big or small will go noticed by those whom you've touched by doing this. You never know whose day you will make a little brighter.
Recently Tim McGraw and Faith Hill went to their local Walmart and paid off christmas layaways. They just made sure that some families out there will be able to give their family a great Christmas without having to struggle. Sure, this isn't something the average person could be able to do, but even if you just put $15 or $20 towards someones layaway, or take a name of a child of an Angel tree, you'd be a hero to someone. You'd be showing them that not everyone is greedy and mean. That there are good people out there that still care.
Even if it's just donating to an organization like Alex's Lemonade stand. These things help. And it will make you feel good about yourself as well. It feels amazing to be able to give back just a little.
Give a little to the families of Gatlinburg who lost everything in the wildfires.
Pay for someones coffee behind you in Starbucks.
Donate to help protect Wild Life.
Give money to a local animal shelter or donate food and toys for the holiday season.
Only we can be the change we want to see in the world. So let's start by paying it forward.
Below are a couple of links to pages to donate. Give a little love this season and help make a difference in the world.
