I get to begin another year of life today. I'd like to think of it as my own peronal New Year. So my resolution for this 33rd year is to give. I think it's pretty safe to say that I've spent a good chunk of time bing selfish and only within the last few years have I started to develop a deeper compassion and understanding for those around me. Call me a late bloomer, but I guess those selfish teenager/early 20s sense of entitlement years carried over a bit longer than they should've. :)
So giving. I arrived at this resoultion in a little bit of a roundabout way, so bear with me here.
Someone in my life was just recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing intense chemo. I keep trying to figure out what I can do to help her out and to help her family, but there just isn't much I can do at the moment aside from sending love.
I have a hair appointment today. I had cut it short in 2009 and started growing it back out last year. Right now it's just about at the point I wanted it to be, maybe it's even a little bit too long. As I was thinking about my friend, my hair appointment, and what my personal new year's resoultion should be, I realized that one thing I CAN do in honor of her is to pledge to grow out my hair in order to donate it. Not just once, but over and over and over again. I've donated hair once before, but it was because I wanted short hair, not because I grew it out with the intention of providing it to someone who will need it. Maybe it doesn't seem like much, but it's something that I can give, it's something that doesn't cost money, and every time I grow it and cut it, I'll be reminded of my friend and others that are struggling with the C-word.
As I started thinking about this, I tried to make a mental list of the other ways I can give that are more than just money in an envelope. My question to you is: What do you give? What can you give? Please leave a message in the comments below... I'm really interested to see what we all come up with and maybe we'll share some inspiration and ideas for new and more ways to give.
Currently, my non-monetary giving looks like this:
- As mentioned above, growing hair in order to donate it to organizations that make wigs for chemo patients
- Photography services to non-profits and similar organizations such as Citizens Co-op, The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery, and Swallowtail Farm.
- Volunteer time to Citizens Co-op for their marketing committee.
- Silent auction donations for Beloved sessions.
I feel like there is a good amount of room for improvement here. Also, I am not going to lie, there are definitely a lot of ways that I *want* to help out but I never get around to actually doing - like joining in a river cleanup event. So yeah, that's going to have to change this year.
Anyway, I am really curious to see your own ideas and ways that you actively give. Help get me inspired to go do more! :)
And because every post needs a picture:
Wanna see some examples of work I've done with Swallowtail Farm? I've gotcha covered!
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