Just Give!

We all do it. We especially do it around the holidays. We give. The experience of giving is pleasurable to all of us. Yet, giving seems to be a scheduled event like our pilates and yoga classes or lunch dates or getting the car inspected. For most of us, we do not randomly give. We wait for X-mas or Valentine's Day or a person's birthday. How about just giving out of the blue? Nothing scheduled and for no purpose. It seems to have a greater impact on the person and you more so than these regularly scheduled holiday giving fests. Perhaps it is the shock effect. It is out of the norm. It is like eating desert before dinner or having a hamburger for breakfast. I am not advocating either. Changing the norm sometimes is the jolt to get you out of that endless road of monotonity. You know, you get up, get out of bed, shower, brush teeth, eat breakfast (or skip it), go to work, work (or surf the internet), eat lunch (or steal it from the workplace fridge), work more (or take a nap), drive home, make dinner (or order out), watch tv and then go to sleep. You do this 5 days a week and maybe it is slightly different on the weekends. Ity is like you are stuck in this endless trench where you do the same thing day in and day out. Think of the movie "Groundhog Day." So change it just like Bill Murray. I am not talking about quiting your job and move to Bora Bora where you sell sea shells, find a new religion and hang out at the local bar where people know you as the crazy sea shell religious nut. I am talking about taking baby steps. The first one would be pick a person you know or random stanger and give them a gift. It can be anything, such as a gift card, money, a baked good, cup of coffee, or a card. You can give your time such as volunteering. A few times a year my wife decides to take the family to a retirement home where we bring baked goods. We go and just hand out with the people living there. The reaction is fantastic. They are so amazed that a family who they do not know decided to take time to visit them. Also, selfishly is makes me and my family feel good. So go ahead and do it and see how they react and how you feel. Please note that I do not take any responsibility if this backfires and you wind up in jail with a cellmate named Slash from the Worlocks biker gang. Barring that, for the most part, you will find it rewarding. I do.