The world is full of people who need help, and people who can give it. We're not all comfortable with the same level of giving and that's okay. As long as you give something - time, talent, money, whatever - you're comfortable with giving when someone needs it and look for nothing in return except a good feeling in your soul, you're a good human being in my book.
I think we're experiencing a bit of a giving backlash. Too often we politicize giving. It's a liberal thing! Or we feel inundated with requests for donations and we just turn them all down. We start to judge who's really deserving and who's not. We don't want to deal with large corporations and their charity machines. Avoiding all of these things is easy. Open your eyes...there are people all around you that need help. Think less, help more, and if you don't publicize it no one can politicize it. We live in our own heads too much sometimes.
Sometimes the people in need are people you know, and sometimes they're not. Need is need. Help when you can. But don't help just so you can pat yourself on the back and get praise. That's lame. If someone shows you kindness, pay it forward. If you're in a situation where you can't, wait until you can. There's no time limit on doing good.
I think we're experiencing a bit of a giving backlash. Too often we politicize giving. It's a liberal thing! Or we feel inundated with requests for donations and we just turn them all down. We start to judge who's really deserving and who's not. We don't want to deal with large corporations and their charity machines. Avoiding all of these things is easy. Open your eyes...there are people all around you that need help. Think less, help more, and if you don't publicize it no one can politicize it. We live in our own heads too much sometimes.
Sometimes the people in need are people you know, and sometimes they're not. Need is need. Help when you can. But don't help just so you can pat yourself on the back and get praise. That's lame. If someone shows you kindness, pay it forward. If you're in a situation where you can't, wait until you can. There's no time limit on doing good.
The world runs on those who are not afraid to reach out and lift up people around them. I'm glad to know so many of them and to be one when I can. I think it's cool that something so small on my part can make such a great difference in the life of someone else. I hope you do too. It makes the world a better place.
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Haikuesday:
be a friend to friends
and to strangers, sometimes too
kindness changes lives
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Are you into random acts of kindness? Check Kerry out at Till Then, Smile Often. Her Be the Change project rocks.
