Gift 1: I knew I wanted to participate, but I felt like I should choose a grand start to this. I was listening to the audiobook in my car when I pulled into PetSmart. Samson is an older cat and between having a tooth removed and having a sensitive stomach due to age, I spend more than I’d like to admit on “special” cat food. I was at the checkout line and the woman asked if I wanted to donate $1 to a veterans’ pets fund. Sure! When I went to sign my name, it also asked if I wanted to donate $1 for homeless pets. Again, sure! These do not need to be grand or expensive gestures. I had begun my journey with only $2.
Gift 2: It was my birthday! In this book, Cami had used a meditation chant as a gift to the world. So, as I was walking through the city with three of my favorite people, we stopped at a fountain. To be honest, I’d been caught up celebrating my birthday, but I thought back to this notion of giving your positive thoughts out to the world. I reached in my purse for a penny to throw in the fountain. I was entitled to one birthday wish, right? I can’t tell you exactly what it was because that’s part of the deal with wishes… if you tell, they don’t come true. (All of us threw in a penny. I wonder what they wished for.)
Gift 3: I spent the day with my boyfriend and his son. Their company makes me happy and it was my turn to do something for them in return. I treated them to an afternoon out. We went to see Wonder Woman and then went out for ice cream. After that, we went for a short walk, played some games and I ordered dinner in at my place.
Gift 4: I had a Dr. visit and I thought the Cleveland Clinic would be the perfect place for a charitable act or gift. It wasn't in the building I thought it was going to be and it really wasn't the kind of visit I thought it was going to be. I left in some substantial pain after some intense (and weird) physical therapy and I just wanted to go home. Who would know if I skipped a day? Then, the next day during yoga, the instructor was talking about self love and the ability to give to ourselves. I decided that Day 4 would be my gift to myself. After multiple diagnosis, I've kept pushing forward. I will find an answer and there will be a time when I'm not in pain.
As I moved forward, it was suggested to begin again if a gift wasn't given mindfully. So, I begin again, but I feel good about that.
Gift 1: I went to a yoga class at an artsy wine shop. I decided my gift for the day would be giving my new neighbors a welcoming gift - a bottle of bubbly. Excited to meet them and excited to have a gift, I went to their home and rang the doorbell. There was no answer even though the light was on. I went home feeling slightly disappointed. I really didn't want to go another day in a row like this. I checked my Email when I got home and someone sent me a message asking me to donate to a cause. I looked at their website and the donate "button" wasn't working. Today wasn't going as planned and I started to think through my day. Couldn't I just count something I did at work? I'm a government employee and I help people everyday. I had already convinced myself that it had to be something done mindfully. Thinking back to a show I'd seen featuring Comfort Cases, I looked them up online and made a small donation. They provide backpacks/suitcases containing items like a blanket, pajamas, a book, a toothbrush, etc. to children in need.
Gift 2: I had intended on giving my new neighbors their bottle, but it was 10:00 by the time I got home and too late to be knocking on doors. Laying in bed, I started to look online; Samson trying to snuggle my phone the whole time. He's been my furry friend for 16+ years and he was definitely in need of some attention. OK, I gave him my full attention snuggling up until we fell asleep was a gift for both of us.
Gift 3: "Pregnant and in need of food." I was actually looking for a volunteer opportunity online and craigslist popped up in the search, but instead that headline caught my attention. She was 6 months pregnant, her fiancee didn't start work for a couple weeks and he hadn't eaten in 2 days to make sure she ate. The ad shows the general area where the person is posting from, so I looked online to see if I could text a gift card. So, I got her Email and sent her a $25 Pizza Hut egift card.
