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Today's
Meditation:
Sometimes
it's easy to think that our little effort isn't worth
much. We think that giving someone a dollar because
they didn't bring enough money with them doesn't have a
lot of value, whereas loaning them $500 would be much more
valuable because then we're making a BIG difference.
The truth is, though, that a small gift of a dollar can
have a great deal of value to someone, and is a reflection
of kindness and generosity and even compassion.
I try
to remember that most people need something almost all the
time, even if they don't realize that they need it.
At times I need a hug or a pat on the back or a kind word,
but I wouldn't be able to tell you just what I need at the
moment. If I receive any of those things, though, I
also receive the message "I care for you," and
that's one of the most important messages that anyone can
give or receive.
What
can you give today to someone else who is in need?
Someone at work may simply need someone to ask "How
are you?" A child that you know may need a
compliment or a word of encouragement instead of the
criticism that she or he normally hears. A friend
who's now far away may have their day made much, much
brighter by a note that just says "Hi! I was
just thinking of you and wondering how you are."
When
we find ways to give that are personal and special, then
we're giving of ourselves. We're giving of our
kindness and our compassion, and we're dedicating our time
and our attention to figuring out what may be just the
right thing to give. I really like gifts that are
material in nature, especially things that I need, but I
truly love gifts that show that someone has spent some
time thinking about me and what to give me, or that
they're spontaneously offering their help because they see
a need and they're simply trying to fill it.
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