The Joy of Giving

It seems as though people are becoming incapable of helping one another unless there is something in it for them.....especially these days. Sure, everyone wants to get ahead, but when do we draw the line? At some point we must stop and assess our mentalities. We must slow down, and we must ask ourselves "Do I like what I see when I look in the mirror, or has this rat race just made me so selfish that I can not even help those that are closest to me without some kind of personal or financial gain?"

If you are to ask me, I believe there is a supreme joy in giving......especially to those who are deserving or who are in need. Do not get me wrong, I like a nice gift just as much as the next guy, but, doing a good deed is much more fulfilling. I believe that the gift of giving is the gift that keeps on giving. It is a cycle of good will that passes from one human to the next....referred to the great majority as karma.

Last night, for example, I did not sleep at all. My friend had his car towed due to a little mishap. He called me at 4:30am to come pick him up from a gas station in a different county, because no one else would answer the phone at that hour. I knew he must have needed something. We stayed up all night, took my girlfriend to the airport in the morning, drove back to his county around noon to pick up his car from the tow lot......and then I drove 30 minutes home. What was in it for me? What did I get in return? NOTHING.

There is nothing in this world like the joy of giving. It just feels great to be a good friend and to help someone out when they need you......as long as they are not the type to use you or do it 24/7. I think we've all had a friend like that. Sometimes after doing these good deeds, I ask myself questions. "What if I would have just left my friend stranded by the side of the highway all night like everyone else?" "What if that was me?" "What if all I cared about was myself?" I 'm sure many of you already ask yourselves these kinds of questions, but I'm sure plenty of you also need to start ask yourselves questions such as these.

So, next time your phone rings in the middle of the night. At least check to see who it is. If it is a good friend or someone that may be in need, pick up the phone. You just might be the only one that can help them. Although you will be dead tired and maybe even cursing their name the next day, you will feel so good about what you did in the long run that you will want to do it again. Most likely, they will remember it, and they will want to do the same thing for you or someone else. Embrace the goodness in you, and take true joy in the gift of giving. Take care everyone!!!

See you next time!!!

****For a great example of the gift giving cycle watch the movie "Pay it Forward"