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OK I'm gonna talk about myself while trying not to toot my own horn or anything here...not tryin' to be "that person." lol
I've felt an urge, in the last few years as our lives became a bit more comfortable, to work on my karma. I've been following my gut a lot. I can't fix everyone's issues or give money to every cause...but when I feel it, I go for it, even if I think I can't afford to. And it's been really rewarding.
I've taken on the payments for my Mom's storage locker because she's having rough times.
I sent a friendship bracelet I made (can't believe I remembered how, hadn't done it since I was 11 or so) to this guy who has major struggles with drug addiction and mental illness. It started as a joke on FB in a group, because we're mutual fans of a particular band...but then I found out what was up with him, and the issues that caused most of our group of friends to shun him and shut him out... While he is a scary dude and I don't want him to know exactly where I live or anything, I felt in my heart that it was cruel to turn my back like everyone else had done. So I left him as a FB friend though we don't talk much, and I sent him a Christmas card with that bracelet in it, though I didn't put my return address on it.
Found out that another online friend had a problem, violent ex showed up and hit her and her daughter, she had no money and no way out. Another online friend (same group, living in her state) got her and her kids & cats and took them to safety, I sent money.
I've been giving to small, local causes. I've never really liked the big org's.
I've bought art commissions from my starving artist friends. Hundreds of dollars worth. I also try to buy handmade things from creative people whenever possible, and music directly from musicians when I can. A world where people can't dream is a world where I don't want to live.
With tax season upon us here in the States, I'd like to urge everyone to think about where their dollars are going. Are you planning to buy things you don't need to impress people you don't like with money you don't really have? What businesses are you voting to succeed with your dollars? And how will you really feel afterwards. I highly recommend giving, it feels amazing, and it is no joke that when you create positive energy in your finances, you open yourself up to receive unexpected bounty.
The one area I can't claim much of is humility...I've got a bit of a love/hate relationship with myself. But I'm learning a lot about being generous.
On a personal level, I'm going to say that it was my grandfather. He was the kindness, most gentle, warmest person you'd ever meet. Extremely selfless. Always had a smile on his face, loved to laugh. A person that lit up a room when he was in it, even without being the center of attention. He never wanted that.
He didn't have a phony bone in his body. Nobody that knew him would EVER say a bad thing about him.
Someone who'd you say the world needs more of. If I could bring one person back to life for just one day to spend time with, it would be him.
I will say my mother. My mother wasn't the type of person like the one people are describing. She wasn't loved by all and the most popular person in the room. My mom was honest and unselfish and that didn't make her popular with everyone. She did what was in her children's best interest even at the expense of her own. She was a physician who was also a house mother during a time when society frowned upon female physicians. She wasn't allowed to join a group because the men in that group didn't want a female doctor to join them. So she used to pick us up from school after her office hours ended. She cooked, cleaned and looked after us. And then in the middle of the night she would take call and go to the hospital for emergencies BUT of course she had to come back and start her office in the morning. And she never had the luxury of sharing call with others so she was on call 24/7 and never got a good nights rest. She would often cook Thanksgiving dinner and then go to the hospital right after it. She took less money to practice honestly and ethically and would tell patient's the truth which didn't make her popular. She never compromised her principles to make her life easier or to become more popular. She developed bad rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease later in life due to the sacrifices and stress she underwent when she was younger. When she was a young child, she was the oldest of three children in a poor family and helped raise her siblings. She gave everything so we could have a better life and was the kindest person I knew. She was the most incredible, selfless, generous and kind person I ever knew.
I think we should be able to describe to everyone how great we are,
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Sweet Pickle
