When is it enough?

 

“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” Socrates


Is your shopping done?  Are you 'over doing it' again this year?  Are the gifts you are choosing going to satisfy beyond the opening?  What would happen if you decided to cut back and think outside the box to help someone who could never gift you?   As you choose to read this blog...think about doing Christmas just a bit different this year.  You might just like it!

Christmas is coming too fast. I am making myself mentally slow down.  I am going to minimize the things that used to be a 'high' priority for me during this season.  I am blaming no one for what I have made Christmas into.  I love gifting those of I love and take mental notes during the year of things that might be a delight to those I buy or give too.  Giving truly makes me happy.

So why am I putting on the brakes?  Why am I taking this season at a slower and easier pace?  Why am writing to unknown readers about my choices to rethink my way of doing Christmas giving?

When I take stock of all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me as a human being and those I love, then I compare my life with those who truly are without blessings, hope and a chance to ever change; I must step back to ask what can I do to help those who need it?  How can one person make a difference?  Can one person make a difference?  Why should one person try to make a difference?

Have you ever thought about what if you were that 'other' person?  You wake up tomorrow morning living in a grass hut. Sand is your floor, ground corn is your meal choice quite likely once a day, your beverage is dirty water if it has not been used up from the day before.  Your clothing choice is what you are wearing, it is dirty, tattered and ill fitting but it is yours until you can scrounge and get it replaced.

Christmas? A bath? A meal? A change of clothing?  A toy?  An education?   You are trapped by the cycle of poverty, you did not choose to be born into this life but you were.  Is there hope?  Does anyone care?

A village board game made of bottle caps and wood.

Look closely to see a wire push toy.

I say, yes!  Yes!  Yes!  If I can help just one person break the cycle of poverty then the blessings I have had bestowed on me have meaning!

Why were born into the culture we are experiencing?  Why? I do not know but I know I am to help others. The movie/play/story Christmas Story is a moral that is spot on!  We may not be quite as bad as Mr. Scrooge but how we allocate our funds could probably do some reevaluating.  How much is too much?  When do we ever 'feel' we have enough?

While you are rearranging your large closets to fit in the 'new' duds, shuffling toys to make room for the new, cleaning out your refrigerator of left over food that now must be tossed,  pause and think about another person thousands of miles away.  That person would be happy with one gently used piece of clothing.  That person could not fathom food being tossed.  A toy, just one new ball or small doll would be an extravagant treasure.  Begin to think of spending less on things that do not truly satisfy your soul and share the savings on blessing someone whose life would be changed forever.

Why are you blessed?  To bless others!  If giving is not part of your life choices you are losing out on so many levels.  Give it a try, and your joy will abound.

Blogs of the past have focused on water and I won't let that go but there are so many other places you can help.  Check out HANDS OF HOPE. www.handsofhope.org   All money donated goes to help those I have described above.  We are making changes!  Profound changes!

I leave you with this thought.

All you have shall someday be given; therefore give now that the season of giving be yours and not your inheritors. Kahill Gibran