Posts Tagged: giving

Last Minute Gifts of Comfort & Joy

December 22nd, 2017
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Holiday Present

It’s the Friday before Christmas and it’s a good bet that you may have finished buying gifts for everyone on your list.

But there’s still time to think about buying one more gift.

This year you may want to put a special twist on your usual gift giving by buying a present for a loved one or friend who has died.

On the face of it, the idea may sound a little strange not really.

I saw this wonderful idea recently tweeted by Grief Compass in a series called the 12 Holidays of Grief and thought I would share it … Read More

A Monday Affirmation

November 16th, 2015
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  I find myself this Monday morning saying HELLO and embracing a calming thought that I intend to use to set the tone of my day. At the beginning of a new week, and especially in light of the tragic terrorist events in Paris, I find this to be healing. Perhaps you need a small break from world news or something else happening in your personal life. Let your mind momentarily take a break: It was the   outstretched   hands, the   giving, that   mattered.         ~ Annie Proulx… Read More

Have Some Fun

December 2nd, 2013
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Some people are hard wired to grab life for all its worth and wring everything out of it that is humanly possible.At this time of year, I know how easy it is to feel frustrated.  Those dark thoughts start trying to find a place to live in your head and your heart but you have to find a way to kick them out because they will only drag you down.According to Dr. Rita Freedman, Ph.D., a former professor of psychology and author of “Overcoming Loss,” efforts to heal your soul  won’t work “if you keep on punishing yourself or the… Read More

Nothing More — The Alternate Routes

November 29th, 2013
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After a day spent counting our blessings and giving thanks, today we are full of gratitude right? To keep that warm and fuzzy and wonderful feeling of kindness going, here is a song introduced to me by Hannah Donnelly (a Jesuit Volunteer Corps alumni & my son’s girlfriend) that I know I will be singing or humming to myself today or whenever I feel my patience starting to wear.  It is a beautiful song, offering hope and I think it fosters the spirit of giving. The song, “Nothing More” was written specifically for Newtown Kindness (www.newtownkindness.org) and is performed by… Read More

Giving Thanks!!

November 28th, 2013
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Today is a day when I pause to give thanks for all of the incredible gifts God has sent my way and also it’s a day when it’s okay to eat too much. I am lucky to have wonderful friends and family and to be able to visit some of them today.  I know that during the hustle and bustle of this holiday that I will scan the room and think about the blessings in my life. I never take what I have for granted for I know how quickly a person’s life can change.  I also am thankful for… Read More

Being All In

December 12th, 2012
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This holiday season, I am appreciating the endless decorations of bows, bells and evergreens, listening to the traditional Christmas music that seems to be playing everywhere and trying to find wonderful presents for those that I love. I’ve been to a few Christmas parties and also donated to schools and other groups who are dependent upon help from others so that they may continue their community work that is so crucial to helping men, women and children who are homeless and without a place to go for regular shelter and meals. I am trying to give of myself and think… Read More

A Dose of Kindness

October 5th, 2012
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Visiting people who are sick is one of the kindest acts we can ever practice.  Sitting and talking, holding their hand and listening seem so simple to the healthy but those things are so essential in helping the ill know that they matter, that they are not forgotten even though they are no longer able to independently move around. Bringing about a smile or laughter through a funny story is just as important as any medicine prescribed by a doctor.  Laughter, in particular, is a powerful distraction from pain and illness. One of my sisters and her husband are compassionately… Read More

Kind Gestures

September 20th, 2012
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Life’s Little Presents Sometimes it’s the little things in life that can make a difference. Someone holds the door for you as you enter a building. A stranger (nicely and innocently) smiles at you for no reason. A friend calls you. Someone treats you to lunch. A happy card arrives in the mail. You find a dress, purse or shoes on sale at an incredible price. ( I always love this!) Someone actually listens to you. These small wonderful surprises give you a lift and put something extra into your step.  Most of these are surprises that you can give… Read More