National Children's Cancer Society

Monday, May 31st 2010

It's Memorial Day today and I finally took the time to go through the pile of mail that had been stacking up for the past couple weeks! Why do we let it turn into such a task? And I just realized that I haven't retrieved the mail since Thursday so I'm still not done with it! Oh well.

I was given a challenge this morning by my boyfriend D. He is challenging me to do nothing today, except relax. I think I'm doing quite well, actually. Although it's taking a lot of strength to refrain from doing laundry. That sounds weird, doesn't it? But, it's true. I don't like to sit still so I think I'll go for a walk soon.

Anyway, back to the mail. There was a letter from the National Children's Cancer Society along with a pretty calendar. They were asking for a donation, which I couldn't resist. So I have a check ready to mail off today. And that gives me an opportunity to pick up that mail that's been there since Thursday. I'll try to relax while I go through it :)

Peace :)

Church

Sunday, May 30th 2010

Today, my grandmother (Grandma S) invited me to go to church with her. Without a second thought, "Yes, I would really like to go!" I replied.

So, she picked my mom and me up and the three of us went together. I hadn't been to a church service in quite a while, but I am somewhat familiar with my grandmother's church. I got to sit in between the two of them, listen to the music (while trying to sing myself), and take it all in.

Many thoughts went through my head during the hour and I felt like I was able to reflect on some things I don't usually take the time to think about. I put $5 in the offering to help the church meet it's financial goal they need by the end of June and it looks like they are close!

We had coffee and cookies after the service and mingled for a moment with others. It was time well spent, that's for sure.

Peace :)

Cheese Sandwich

Saturday, May 29th 2010

I woke up early to get a head start on the day (and to follow my goal of finding more hours in a day and I think I found them! The key is- they are there, but you only notice them if you are awake!) I had about 10 things to do before heading out of town to visit family and just as I was about to leave, I had a thought. I was getting hungry and figured someone else out there is probably getting hungry too!

I made a cheese sandwich to take on the road in hopes I would find someone who would like to eat it. "One is not enough. What if there are more than one person together? I'd better make two." I told myself as I sampled a slice of cheddar.

So, there I was ready to go with my overnight bag, ingredients to make a pie with my mom, and 2 sandwiches in an Easter basket. Yes, an Easter basket. It's been hanging around for a couple months, waiting to be returned to it's home at my parent's house.

I didn't find anyone as I left town, but then I knew where I could most likely find someone- the outlet mall shopping center exit about 30 miles down the freeway. As I neared the exit, there he was. It looked as if a man, dressed all in black, was kneeling on top of a mountain and I saw him from a mile away- literally. My steering wheel became excited and started turning itself toward that direction.

I waited through one traffic light, then I was stopped too far back to roll my window down. So, here's the tricky part. Do you get their attention from 10 cars back and have them run all the way to your car? What if they are handicapped (as I've seen before)? Do you wait until you approach them, stop all traffic during a green light and make everyone behind you furious? It's a tough one, isn't it?

Without much more contemplation, the light was green and it was time to go. I had the window down and as I got close, I held out the sandwich and slowed way down- but didn't stop. I thought "Do I throw it to him? No, that wouldn't be very polite." As he walked over, it was as if all the traffic behind me didn't matter.

"Would you like a sandwich?" I asked him. "Oh, yes. Thank you Dear!" He answered without hesitation. It was that simple.

And off I went. Straight through the light and down the on ramp. It was as if they designed the ramps just for that reason.

The other sandwich doesn't have quite the story though. I ended up eating it myself.

Peace :)

TheBreastCancerSite.Com

Thursday, May 27th & Friday, May 28th 2010

I'm learning that sitting down to write every day is not the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, after being away from 7:30am-10pm, you just feel like putting your feet up for 10 minutes to relax before retiring to bed. And that's what happened to me the past 2 days :)

I still make time to do something for someone else sometime during the day which is my dedication, however writing each day is a slight challenge that I will continue to do my best to overcome. Maybe I will look for more hours in the day somehow and stop being so busy!

There is a website I want to share with you. This website has been around for at least a couple years that I know of. It's very simple and I invite you to visit it anytime you want! Just click on the "Click Here to Give, It's Free!" button and you will see what you've just donated.

For at least 2 years I was only clicking on the free mammogram button, but then I discovered there are a total of 6 charities at the top. So, please take a moment whenever you want and click on one or all 6- it's so easy!!

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Peace :)

Have a Good Day

It was 8:30pm and the day was coming to an end. I had a dollar in the cup holder of my car, ready to give to someone if the opportunity arose. And it did, faster than I expected! I was almost home and at a stop light where a young couple was sitting on the wet ground. They looked cold and bored. I rolled down my window and the boy rushed over to accept my offer.

I said, "Have a good day," as I handed it to him. Afterward I thought, was that wrong to say "have a good day?" I don't know. What are you supposed to say?

I do know that although I might not know what the right thing to say is, I am feeling more and more comfortable in these situations where I didn't used to be comfortable at all. And that was only a couple weeks ago. I feel more at ease when I approach someone to give them bread or money, or to smile and say a simple "hi". It feels good! I will continue practicing and perhaps one day, I'll be able to stand up in front of a group (yes, public speaking as we discussed earlier) of people in need and say something that will affect them in a positive way. We'll see!

Peace :)

Saxophonist

Tuesday, May 25th 2010

Upon arrival at the airport last Saturday, there was a musician playing the saxophone in the hallway. Playing it beatifully, did I mention? I wanted to drop off some change for him, but we were moving in such fast motion trying to find the transit center to get to where we were going. So, I smiled at him and hurried by.

Then, on our return to the airport, I had my change ready in my pocket in hopes the same musician would be there and I could make up for it.

Turns out, there was a saxophone player at the first train stop we waited at so both D and I gave him a little $$. And as we walked down the same hallway back into the ORD airport, the saxophonist was there! Well, at least I think it was the same one. I guess it could have been someone else. But anyway, I dropped off my change for him and we rushed off to the check-in desk.

Those musicians sure do bring the still, empty hallways to life. Thank you for sharing your talent and stunning sounds with us common suitcase pullers.

Peace :)

Dunkin Donuts

Monday, May 24th 2010

A tad bit hungry for a little afternoon snack after doing touristy activities all day, we found ourselves in a Dunkin Donuts shop picking up a bag of donut holes :) When you stumble upon a Dunkin Donuts shop while traveling, you just have to stop! For old times sake. Well, I guess it's only old times sake if you used to live near one while growing up and now you can't find any within a 500 mile radius- as is my case.

We sat up in the window, ate a couple and then looked at each other with the same thought in mind. "We will probably be having dinner soon and it might be a better idea if we stopped eating these." And the second simultaneous thought shared by both of us- "Let's give the rest of these donuts to someone on the street."

So we did. And I hope that man enjoyed them.

Peace :)

Chips

Sunday, May 23rd 2010

We were in Chicago, walking up and down every street of town (or city I should say with all respect). I didn't do anything too exciting this day, so I'll keep it short.

I picked up a piece of trash on the street, then saw another piece next to a garbage can, so decided I should probably pick that up too. I'm really trying to make a concious effort at picking up rubbish on the streets, it really is everywhere and it's so easy to ignore! Something funny happened because when I picked up the chip bag, about 20 chips fell out and onto the street. D started laughing, and so did I :) There were lots of pigeons around, so hopefully they got a little lunch out of it.

Peace :)

Man at the Train Station

Saturday, May 22 2010

We (my boyfriend "D" and I) were hurrying to the train station to get a ride to the airport and catch our flight to Chicago, and I thought of an idea. I placed a $1 bill in the ticket machine's change bin. D and I stood there waiting for the train and a voice came from behind us, "Is this your dollar?" The man asked. I hesitated for a second as I turned around, thinking "What do I say? If I say no, am I being untruthful? Do I say yes because I know exactly where the dollar came from? But that would be awkward if I said yes, though, because then he'd give it back to me and that would beat the whole purpose!"

Right then, D answered for me (I think I took too long to reply by that time), "No, it's all yours." And that was the true answer! Thank you D :)

The man half-giggled, looked around for someone else to ask about it or catch him with a camera, and nodded with delight. D piped in again, "It's your lucky day."

"I guess so!" The man replied excitedly. We then struck up a short conversation and he recommended a pizza joint for us to try when we got to Chicago that he'd heard of. And I hopped on the train with a giant smile. "This is going to be a great day." I thought to myself.

Peace :)

File

I forgot to mention that yesterday morning I took a look to see if the 3 quarters were still on the pop machine and I couldn't believe it when I saw not only my 3, but 6 total! Someone else added 3 more quarters on top of my 3! I was so excited and, for a second, thought that it could be the start to a huge fundraiser. Later, I checked again in the afternoon and all the quarters were gone, along with the note too. Part of me was disappointed, but of course the whole point was for someone to buy themselves a soda and at least 2 sodas were given. So it was a double success!

I'm leaving for Chicago early tomorrow morning and I spent the entire day busily working to get everything caught up until I return next Wednesday. I was so tired by 7:30pm, still had to run to Target, do some laundry, and pack after work that I just wanted to lock up and head home. But, since I knew one of my teammates was really hoping I would review a file before I left- even though it's not due for 3 more weeks, I took a deep breath, put my headphones on and finished it up.

Now, I'm sipping a glass of champagne while almost done with my laundry and packing. It was a nice, 15 hour day filled with hard work and now it's time to relax for a few days :)

To be continued in Chicago...

Peace :)

Temporary Employee

I started my current job as a temporary employee back in Sept. '08. Now being a "temp" wasn't exactly a charming position. I had to call from the lobby for someone to come pick me up to let me through the "employee only" access door every morning. If I was too early, I had to sit and wait where people stared when they walked by. So my arrival time had to be timed just right because I wouldn't dare arrive late!

Most of the people I worked with didn't talk to me for the first 2 weeks at least. (There were a couple people who did and I appreciated that- I know you are reading this :)) I sat in the corner, opened envelopes, and sorted invoices all day, every day. There was one girl in particular, however, who was very nice to me and who made me feel comfortable- well, as comfortable as anyone could feel in that silent room.

Things are different today, I'm still working for the same employer, but as a full-time employee and in a completely new environment than it used to be. People actually talk and laugh now. It's great!

But I have never forgotten the girl who was extra sweet to me and I finally took the time to thank her today. I let her know how much it meant to me and thanked her for it. You know, she began as a temporary employee also so perhaps that's part of it. If you've been through the same obstacle yourself, usually you have more empathy and understanding for others.

Peace :)

Pop Machine

Suddenly it was 8pm, I was still working, and hadn't gone out of my way to help anyone yet today! I found some ideas from a website: www.helpothers.org and one of them was to tape up the exact change needed to buy a pop onto the pop machine with a note that says something nice. So I went to the break room at work and taped 3 quarters up with a note that said "Buy a soda on me".

Hopefully the janitors will use it tonight or another employee will use it tomorrow. Actually, I hope people won't be afraid thinking they will be on candid camera or some sort of office prank if they take the quarters down :) I'll let you know if they're still up tomorrow afternoon.

Then I was at the gas station on my way home and tipped the attendant $1 when he was done. He gave me a very big smile and a gracious "thank you". I don't think the gas station attendants get tipped as much as they should. Even one dollar is not much, but they appreciate it.

Peace :)

Volunteer Orientation

With the help of my co-worker & friend, I was introduced to the Union Gospel Mission and had the chance to volunteer there 4 times this Spring. Last Wednesday was my last scheduled day to serve dinner, but since I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to contact the coordinator to sign up for more!

The volunteer director replied to my email right away yesterday and invited me to the volunteer orientation which they have once a month. It just so happened that tonight was the night! What lucky timing was that?

I filled out the 3 page application and joined in the meeting from 7-8:30 tonight. It was fantastic. There were approximately 10 people there, we watched some slide shows, a video, listened to recovering residents' life stories and toured the facilities. I hope they call me soon so I can start serving!

As I was walking down the street, I noticed a new feeling like there is a "skip in my step" and a smile that I can't hide. I feel lighter, almost like the burdens I've been holding are being lifted.

Peace :)

Happy Birthday Miss T

I have a friend that has been my friend for over 20 years. There have been some years where we lost touch because we were in different cities or places in our lives, but we've stayed in contact even if it was extremely seldom. She means a lot to me and we always have a good time, full of laughs. No matter how much time has passed, when we are together, it feels like it was just a couple of weeks instead of a couple of years.

This Wednesday will be her 30th birthday, so I called her up to see if she would allow me to take her out to lunch. "Yes!" She answered excitedly. This made me feel good because I wasn't sure how busy she'd be, since it was her 30th birthday week and all.

So we met at a delicious Italian restaurant of her choice today for lunch. We had a marvelous time, and though she didn't want me to pick up the tab, it was not even a question. It was my pleasure to celebrate her birthday with her. Happy Birthday Miss T!

Peace :)

Banana Bread

What a beautiful weekend it has been. The sun was out, the people were all meandering the streets, and it was a chance to relax. I woke up this morning and decided something had to be done with the ever-so-over-ripe bananas on the kitchen counter. So I made 2 loaves of banana bread, let them cool and then wrapped up individual slices and tucked them away in my bag.

My lovely mother came up to spend the afternoon in town and we carried the bread with us to the salon, the bakery, the gift shop, and all over the neighborhood we walked. Carrying bread into a bakery sounds a little backwards, but that's what we did! We didn't see anyone who looked like they could enjoy a slice, so later I took a walk downtown where I knew I'd find some open hands.

Sure enough, I quickly delivered all 8 pieces. Each person gave me a semi-surprised look at first, like "What are you doing lady?" as I asked "Would you like a slice of fresh banana bread?" to each of them. Only one person said "No." And that was expected, so 1 out of 9 was not too bad.

I think I might try this again one weekend soon. Cooking, walking, sharing, and a little shopping on the way home= fun!

Peace :)

Sheepish Smile & Dad's Birthday

Today is my dad's birthday so I'd like to wish him a big Happy Birthday! We had a great phone conversation since he lives too far away to visit in person. I sent a card and gift in the mail earlier this week too. Hopefully one day soon we'll live close enough to pop on over and hang out on a regular basis. For now though, we have a great relationship going strong via our pleasant phone conversations.

Then, I was almost home from a long walk this morning, and as I was walking by a restaurant, I noticed some trash in the bushes. I see this everywhere so I didn't think much of it. Heck, I probably passed by 20 pieces of debris on my walk today without thinking twice. Anyway, I decided to pick up the big plastic cup and carry it toward home. There was a bin 2 blocks down where I tossed it in. (Let me add the fact that I was happy I didn't have to keep carrying the filthy thing all the way to my kitchen- although I was planning to.)

As I crossed the street to enter my apartment, a man quietly shouted "Excuse me," as I turned around and he was crossing the street to approach me.

"This might sound weird, but I noticed you picked up that cup back there and threw it in the garbage and I think that is the coolest thing ever. That just made my day." He continued with a sheepish smile and nod of the head.

I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing, because why would me picking up a cup in a bush and throwing it away make someone else's day? And then, for him to go out of his way to cross the street and tell me that? I felt something very special build up inside me at that moment.

"I'm so glad," I replied as I was sort of laughing with embarrassment. "I wanted to walk right by it, but I decided I might as well just pick it up. Thank you, I hope you have a nice day." I told him.

"And you as well." He concluded and walked away.

Picking up garbage is something I want to do more often, but not something I would write about! Until the fellow affirmed the fact that a super-tiny act like that can actually make someone's day. Who knew?

Peace :)

Habitat for Humanity

Wow. Yesterday was a very big day for me. It began with a Habitat for Humanity breakfast/banquet fundraising event at 7am. My employer was the head sponsor of the event and we were seated in the front of the room right next to the stage! I had to be on my best behavior, use my best manners while, at the same time, carry on conversation with the VIP's. There were some very sad stories told by families -who were and some who are-desperate for a roof over their heads. Their stories were so moving, I had to remember to take deep breaths and relax when I really just wanted to cry my eyes out!

One of the speakers mentioned the fact that Habitat for Humanity is a "Permanent" solution for families in need, not just a "Band-Aid". This really got me thinking. What is better, a permanent fix for a few people or a temporary remedy for many people? My first answer is that a little (or a lot of course) of both is a good thing. I'm going to keep this in mind as I sign up to volunteer and donate time & money to different causes. Which ones are for permanent solutions and which ones are temporary? And by temporary, I'm talking a few hours. For example, serving dinner to homeless and hungry citizens is only a "few hour fix". Hmmmm...

A few hours later, it was time to donate blood. Now this was an ordeal. I had 3 needle pricks in me, a giant swollen bruise on one arm covered in ice, blood moving ever-so-slowly from the other arm, I'm lying down with my legs at an incline on a plastic lawn chair, and a nurse who is sweating like crazy because he's so concerned with what's happening.

"Just let me know when you want to call it quits." He kept saying. "I've gone this far, (1.5 hrs) so I'm not giving up now." I replied. People came and went as I laid there thinking about the speech I was about to be late for. I think that's what got me through the whole thing. I had something else that I was far more anxious about- public speaking. Yikes!

So, it was 2 hours later and we finished successfully. I say "we" because the nurse and I had become a team by that point. I don't know who was happier at the end, the nurse or myself? I actually think he might have been!

I then had about 10 minutes to get ready for class where I was to give a presentation in front of almost 20 people. Let me tell you- public speaking is my biggest fear. The only thing I could think of that would be worse is probably....umm.....public singing. Yep. Public singing would be horrific. And that I have never even attempted, nor do I ever dare dream (or nightmare) of doing.

The speech went ok though and I spoke of my 2 passions- helping others and writing. I spoke about starting this blog and how it is already improving my daily life and overall outlook in general. And man was I glad it was over.

Today was not so adventurous. I think I'm still recovering from yesterday, so I'll keep this brief. The only really nice thing I did today was give my co-worker a compliment card to acknowledge her for the help she gave me on a difficult project and all the questions she answered. Thanks again M.!

Peace :)

Lift & Dinner

These past 2 days I've been going non-stop and haven't had a chance to sit at the computer to write. I did have a chance to do a couple nice things for others though!

Yesterday as I was leaving work to drive home as fast as I could to make it to a show, one of my colleagues was walking through the parking lot toward the train station which is a 1/2 mile away. I thought about pretending I didn't see her and speeding off, but that thought was over-ruled in a matter of a blink of an eye, actually even less than that. (And, if you'll believe me, the thought never crossed my mind that I could later use it in my journal. That was a bonus.) So, I pulled over and asked if she wanted a ride. "Yes," she said with a smile. We had a nice, quick chat on the way and I ended up getting home much earlier than expected after all!

Tonight I served dinner at the Union Gospel Mission. We were short-staffed, so it was a bit more of a challenge but well worth it. We worked hard setting up, serving food, washing pots & pans (my fingers are wrinkly as I'm typing), and mopping the floors. The people were friendly and smiling more than last time and we had plenty of food for everyone. It was a wonderful night.

Peace :)

Dinner Service

It has now been one full week since I started this inspiring little project. Each day has brought new ideas, thoughts and feelings. I'm finding books and articles in magazines that give ideas for helping others which I think will be a helpful tool in my journey. (I feel like I might run out of my own ideas very soon!)

Tonight, my boyfriend D and I went to the Union Gospel Mission to serve dinner to those in need. It was my second time volunteering at the dinner service and tonight was even better than the first time. I felt more comfortable and as if I didn't need as much direction as I did a couple weeks ago.

The folks were smiling more tonight than before, we were able to send to-go plates with anyone who wanted one and things just seemed brighter all around. Perhaps it was just the smiles that made the evening so sweet.

Wednesday I'll be back, so looking forward to it already.

Peace :)

Food & Family

Yesterday I invited one of my brothers to bring his girlfriend along and come up to visit (they live 2 hours away). I hadn't met his girlfriend yet, so I wanted to make sure we had something fun planned and that they would have a good time while in town. They had a restaurant in mind they wanted to try- all vegan, live, raw foods are served at this place. This was a great idea, I thought to myself. We're always up for trying new places.

So, the 4 of us (my boyfriend "D", included) went to lunch and it was my treat. I am the big sister and they were the guests, afterall. We had a great time getting to know one another and enjoying wonderful and beautiful dishes of delicous food.

Today I am heading to the grocery store to buy ingredients for a dinner that D and I are cooking tonight for his parents. It's Mother's Day and we will be tidying up the house, decorating the table with fresh flowers and preparing a special dinner for them. Off to run errands I go! Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all of the mom's throughout the world.

Peace :)

Tip

Today is Friday and the sun is out. Everyone seems to be in a good mood and getting excited for summer.

I go to Subway to pick up a sandwich for lunch about 3 or 4 days a week. The other day as I was walking out, one of the workers was leaving for the day and his co-worker asked, "Did you get your tips?"

He replied, "Yes I did, it was $2.50!" He was a young boy, not more than 17 years old I'd guess. So, maybe an extra $2.50 was a lot to him because he sounded like he had just received $50 or more. I'm not sure, but I left saying to myself "Next time I buy a sandwich here I'm going to tip them."

So today I had the chance to do just that. And I think I'm going to continue to tip them each time I visit. Who knows, maybe the next patron in line will do the same and pretty soon the same boy will walk away with $50 one day!

Peace :)

Cupcakes

Today was the birthday of a colleague at work. At our office, each person's birthday is celebrated abundantly. Decorations, lunch, cake, a card, and sometimes a gift too! Since the birthday we were celebrating today was for the girl who sits next to me, who is on my team, and who is also my friend, I wanted to contribute to the hoopla.

So, I found a box of GIGANTIC cupcakes at Costco and thought, "These will be great!" They were both chocolate and vanilla- with sprinkles too. This way, we had a variety of flavors and didn't need to worry about the mess cutting slices of cake can make (although we did end up cutting some of the cupcakes in half because they were so huge).

Some others did the decorating and picking up lunch for everyone. The birthday girl was so excited throughout the entire day. It was fun to see her smiling non-stop and I'm delighted to know we made her day special.

Peace :)

Letter

I am lucky to say I have 2 grandmothers. You'll hear me talk about both of them. Grandma S. and Grandma B. I would have 3, but my dad's mother passed away when he was just a young boy. She would be Grandma A. Well, she is actually Grandma A.

Grandma B. is the sweetest, most kind and gentle lady you could ever meet. I have never heard an ill word, seen a disrespectful look or anything unkind come from her. Just lots of laughs and sweetness.

A couple weeks ago her brother passed away and we just learned that her daughter's (my aunt) cancer has spread to her brain.

My heart aches for my Grandma B. and the entire family. So, it's not much, but I sent a letter to her today. Just to say hi and hopefully cheer up her day. She is always on my mind.

Peace :)

Flowers

For a few weeks now, I've been intending to give a little thank you note to a lady at work who is always going out of her way to help others. This lady will stop what she's doing at the drop of a hat to give full attention to the person in need. For example, a couple weeks ago I thought I left my oh-so-special ring on the bathroom counter at the office. I knew Ms. T (for privacy purposes) was working late so I called her to see if she could take a look for me. I usually wouldn't ask someone to go out of their way like this, but the other alternative was to drive the 15 miles back out there myself. I was already late for a dinner double-date, so calling was my only option at this point. Trust me, I wouldn't even think twice for just any-old piece of missing jewelry. This was a big deal.

Ms. T answered, sounding very exhausted I might add (it was 8pm after all!). I explained my concern and she put the phone down instantly to run and look. Sure enough, it wasn't anywhere to be found. "Ok, I'll keep looking and hopefully it will turn up tomorrow." We both agreed.

Do I have to admit that I later found the ring in my purse the same night? Oh my did I feel foolish.

So, this morning I stopped thinking about it and grabbed a thank you note from my stationery drawer at home and drove to a garden center on my way to work. I found a sweet little pot of mini, peach colored roses for $4.99 and bought it.

I was hoping I would arrive to work ahead of Ms T. so I could put it on her desk without receiving any attention for it. That didn't happen. She was already there. As I walked over to her and put the flowers & card on her desk, I felt my face turn red and my body's temperature rise with embarrassment while she gave me a puzzled expression. She asked, "Is this for my new place?!" (She just moved out after a break-up which made it all the more meaningful at this sensitive time).

"Yes, it's for that or for your desk. Whatever you'd like." I replied and hurriedly walked away before anyone else noticed the redness on my face.

The smile she gave me and excitement I saw in her eyes nearly brought tears to my eyes.

I think I could get used to this giving thing.

Peace :)

Ready to Give

It's after 10pm on Monday night and I have an idea. I am ready for a change. Don't get me wrong, life is good and the days are filled with fun (and lots of hard work at the office and home of course). I'm talking about making a change to my daily routine- something that will benefit others just as much or more than it will favor myself.

Here's my idea. Everyday, beginning tomorrow, I will surprise someone (or more than just one someone) with something kind. Something that a gracious giver would give. Something that will make another's day brighter than it otherwise would have been.

Have you ever done something for someone and felt that wondrous sensation inside that asks you- "Why don't I do this more often?" It feels so good! Yep, that's what I'm going to do. One day at a time.

Please join me in my journey of Gracious Giving and follow along to see what happens.

Peace :)