Giving Back

Finding a place to serve

Dear friends,

In this modern day and age of 900 channel televisions and YouTube, many high profile people are in the news for their philanthropy. Celebrities adopting babies, pop artists adopting puppies or kittens and daytime talk show hosts are giving away cars and cash.

Bo serves diligently on the YMCA board of directors and I am heavily involved in a service fellowship in Georgetown. Those are worthy endeavors, however, I am most heart struck by those who serve us more humbly, better yet, anonymously.

Through the years, I have witnessed my brother, Bo, commit many random acts of kindness. I have learned from him and tried to incorporate this habit into my daily affairs finding few actions return more reward.

Of course, we always want to encourage our friends to be of service to those about you. But, when the opportunity presents itself, a random act of kindness rewards the gift and the giver like almost nothing else.

Here’s some ideas that my brother and I have seen or experienced. We hope you pass them forward.

Pay for the coffee of the driver behind you in the drive through.
Sit for a chat with an assisted living resident.
Take donuts to the fire station
Let a car merge in front of you.
Write a note of appreciation to your mailman
Pick up 10 pieces of trash
Mail a card to a military person overseas
Drop off a game or puzzlebook at a hospital
Drop a few coins on a playground so children can find them easily
Offer to babysit

May we all be better channels of service.

Sincerely,

“The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”

Albert Schweitzer