September Resolution to Give

The Giving Tree by Lady Squall

With the onset of September also comes change. Children begin a new school year. College students move away. I no longer have to watch reruns of 30 Rock. New friendships will be made. Empty nesters will adjust to a quiet home. Lives are begun anew. Change can be difficult yet at the same time refreshing. This new beginning allows us to put our best foot forward.

I am not convinced that our resolutions are timed with the drop of the Ball on New Years Eve. I believe our desire to become a better person begins two months earlier. In November we celebrate all that we are thankful for. It is then that our hearts are touched by all the giving thanks; that iIn December we are compelled to reach out to those less fortunate allowing them to share in our bounty. By the time January 1st rolls around we have already felt the stirrings in our minds and in our hearts for change. What happens between February and November that causes us to loose momentum? We forget. We get busy. Playtime is over and it is back to the stresses and everyday battles.

The purpose of this year’s monthly resolutions provided a way to make a goal, stick with it for a month and if it was a success shout hooray and move on to a new goal the next month. On the other hand if success did not come about that month no worries. The slate is wiped clean. Instead of looking back at the weight I did not loose I can look to the future as I try to laugh more with the kids. There is no rule saying we cannot still try to work on the previous month’s resolution. The goal here is to gather the motivation to keep moving forward instead of giving up or feeling down because we could not do it; to focus more on our successes rather than our failures. As each month approaches it is like starting New Year’s Eve all over again.

Funny thing about this month’s resolution is I wanted to skip it all together because I felt so overloaded. Ironically isn’t GIVING all about forgetting our wants while focusing on others needs? As it is already the second week of the month I can tell you I was not as overloaded as I thought. When a friend’s dog died in a car accident this month I offered my condolences. When my daughter cried because a friend told her she no longer wanted to be her friend I gave her a listening ear. The act of Giving is more abundant in December. As I am trying to keep that spirit with me all year September seemed to be the perfect time to focus more on giving my heart, time and talents.

Ways Give:

• Give more time to each of my children. (Spend 15-20 minutes day of devoted alone time)
• Give more time to my husband. (Plan a weekly or bi-weekly date. Picnic in the park, walk around the lake, bowling, portable DVD movie in the car, dance in the moonlight on the back porch)
• Give more time for myself. (Exercise by utilizing used commercial gym equipment, read a book, spend time with a friend, learn something new, practice talent for 15-10 mins)
• Volunteer at the hospital.
• Hold preemies in hospital.
• Read to the elderly.
• Read the books “The Giver” by Lois Lowry and “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein.
• Focus service on a family with an active son or daughter in the military.
• Make cookies for a neighbor.
• Take dinner to someone who just had a baby, surgery or a family in need.
• Secretly mow your neighbor’s yard.Give unused items to someone who needs them.
• Give gratitude.
• Give up unsavory habits (gossiping, drinking, smoking, addictions)
• Give up gossiping
• Give blood.
• Give recognition to those serving our community. (firefighters, police, nurses, doctors, farmers, teachers, wait staff, crossing guards)
• Share a talent.  (make canned jams to share, scrapbook, photography, quilting, sewing, crafts, car maintenance, math tutoring, ect.)