Help Someone, Help Yourself

Greetings, dear Reader! Every now and then I start off my post with the same question: 

How are you doing?

No, really --there's lots going on in the world and the holiday season has begun. All this can add up to S-T-R-E-S-S. I personally can fall into a little funk, especially if I tune in to current events. Besides turning off the assault from network news, I have another suggestion for feeling better. 

This week I saw a quote from the 40th US president, Ronald Reagan, that really helped me.  

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help

someone."

Honestly, it can be A LOT when we look around and see how things could improve in a variety of areas. Faced with so many problems in our world today can feel almost unbearable. Add to that the feeling that we don't feel supported, especially by people and institutions we thought had our best interests, and there's the potential for total overwhelm. However, the worst thing we can do is just give up. 

When something feels unmanageable and just too big, the best thing to do is break it down into something simple and more doable. None of us can take on all the problems in the world, but each of us can do our part. 

This time of year, especially in New England, where I live, there are a lot of "drives". For example, some stores have bins for winter coats. One store near me even has a special price on a warm jacket that's meant to be donated after purchase. This can mean a lot to a recipient who needs to go or be outside, for work, for example, when temperatures are at or below freezing.

Other organizations are often looking for toys and other items to help families with limited resources who have children. Food banks really feel the pinch in the winter and especially around holidays, and look for assistance with providing meals. It's a good time to take a good look at what we have, appreciate our own abundance, and see where we can share. 

Giving items that are in good condition and just taking up space in our often "cluttered" homes is one way to lessen the burden. Simply offering our time and presence by helping to organize and/or distribute food and other essentials doesn't take a monetary toll on us, but helps fill our time in a meaningful way and gives assistance to others in need. Of course, money is always welcome and it often doesn't have to be a huge sum. I hate to always use the daily latte as an example, but if you buy a fancy coffee even just a few times a week, giving it up for a week and sending that money where it can be really useful, can be a blessing.

I'm reminded of a story that many of us have heard before ...

"One day an old man saw a young girl, after

a big storm, throwing starfish back into the 

ocean, saving them from dying in the sand.

He pointed out, in all his wisdom,

that there were thousands of starfish and it was

an impossible task. He even said that there was

no way for this one person to be able to make any

kind of difference.

At that point, as the girl threw back yet another

starfish, she turned to the man, smiled, and said, 

"It made a difference to that one!"

Even a small donation or gesture has the potential to help someone out. And, the best thing of all is that it helps us when we take action and do something instead of complaining or feeling helpless. 

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone in the U.S. next week. Remember to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and share in your own abundance. What we focus on, grows. 

Sending Sparkles and Love Your Way!