Mindfulness and Giving

Good day, God, and thanks much for this new day in our lives! I really do appreciate it, and I'm grateful that I have another day to live, people to see and to interact with, food to eat, a place to live, work to do. Today will be another special day, I know, in this life that you've given me.

Of course, it's hard sometimes to make the most of days--sometimes we just let them flow by on their own without contributing to them, without doing anything that might make the day special. We seem to just assume that the day will bring us everything we need and then some, without thinking much of giving back. When we do this, though, we rob ourselves of many opportunities to make our own days better. If I don't give that compliment or encouragement, I never experience the feeling that we get when someone else appreciates what we say or do. If I don't give the time and energy necessary to do my job better, I miss the gratification of having done a job well. I don't have to kill myself and work a 70-hour week to do my job well, of course, but I do need to give that something extra.

If I could ask for anything right now, it would be that I be able to give that little extra wherever and whenever I can, that I be mindful enough to recognize when it's appropriate--even necessary--and brave enough to actually do it. I want to give to the world, not just take from it.

Thanks!

a reply:

You're welcome, as always. And I will do my best to help you to keep your eyes open, but as you know, most of that task will fall to you. Since I'm not a micro-manager, it's impossible for me to control you like a puppet all day, every day. But I can help and I do help. In something like this, my help comes in the form of gentle reminders every day of just what there is that can use your help, be it another person, some trash on the street that needs to be picked up, of a problem that needs to be solved, for example.

Oddly enough, most people ignore my little reminders that have been built into their lives. When their kids ask them for advice, they try to solve the problems instead of taking the opportunity to help the kid to learn to solve her or his own problems. When there's trash on the ground they walk right by it, doing nothing about it--often not even noticing it! When a friend needs someone to listen to them, they tend to talk more than their friend does. It would be very frustrating to watch were I the type to get frustrated.

Giving to the world can be simple, but most people choose not to do so. And that's a shame, as much for those people as for the world, which could really use the help. Keep in mind that while I won't control your thoughts or actions, there are plenty of reminders of what you want and need all around you, every day. Keep your mind and your heart open, and you'll see them. And when you do see them, please act on them. It's for your good, and the world's.