charity Archives ⋆ Pearlsandsouls.com

Millions of people celebrated at least several holidays in recent months. From Halloween to Thanksgiving, from Christmas to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day, these past months were filled with months of celebrations and the sharing of light and love. Many people around the world visited beloved families and friends, spent time off for relaxation and travel, followed holiday traditions, and prepared the most delicious dishes of the entire year. During the holiday season, many of us give thanks for the blessings received throughout the year and pray for more good fortune in the coming year.

During these cheerful moments, we make toasts looking into our loved ones’ eyes showing them our appreciation of their presence, drink, eat, and celebrate the good times of our lives. During these months of celebration and homecomings, many of us become very charitable as well, perhaps even more so than at other times during the year. Larger tips are given to people who serve us every day, money is donated to charities, food and clothes are shared with the homeless making sure they too have a cozy stay. There seems to be more kindness and unconditional love in the air during these times. We pick up a book that the person in front of us dropped; we give a smile to a child; we ask the store clerk how his or her family is doing. I could write a long list here. I am certain that you would have a long one too.

What about the next morning?

What about when the holiday season is over? What about the day after the holiday? Being cheerful, loving, and charitable during the holidays is not difficult. Who does not love celebrating and sharing a little bit of that bliss with others? The challenge begins the next morning. I believe that we are here on this planet Earth to love and be loved. I believe that we are here to make the best of our lives and enjoy the good times. I believe that many of us are blessed beyond our own needs in order to share our wealth with those less fortunate. Yes, holidays are meant to be celebrated. Houses are wonderful when decorated. Holiday meals and special foods not cooked every day are certainly among my favorites. I love holidays and celebrating. I think most people do. However, what about the next morning?

What about the day after the holiday when the party guests have gone home, leftovers stored in the fridge, candles are blown out, the music turned off, gifts put away, wrapping paper thrown out, and lights taken down? It is easy to share with others and celebrate with people we care about. Human beings have celebrated and followed holiday traditions for probably thousands of years. Humanity is sharing with and caring for others. Real humanity is doing so when the party is over. The real message here is to keep celebrating after the holiday.

The next morning, continue sharing your smile with the person next to you. The next morning, keep donating your food, clothes, or money. The next morning, keep donating your time by volunteering for a good cause important to you. Keep caring about others. Take someone in who needs shelter, a warm meal and someone who listens. Be the friend anyone can count on in times of need and in times of cheer. Pick up what the person in front of you dropped with a smile. Ask the janitor how his or her weekend was. Give what you can to others. Share your holiday joy after the holiday. Keep celebrating life not because it’s a holiday but because it’s the next morning so that we never have to ask ourselves again what the world will look like after the holidays. If we all do our part of sharing and caring, just as during the traditional holidays, love is in the air everywhere and – every day of the year. Keep shining with your hearts once the holiday lights are turned off for the season.

Love,

Barbara

barbarabullock.wordpress.com

#blog #writer #holiday #tradition #christmas #hannukah #kwanzaa #valentinesday #celebration #love #charity #donating #donation #humanity #caring #next #morning #light #lights

Money is not everything. You probably have heard this phrase repeatedly. Perhaps you believe it and live by it. It is true that many beautiful things in life are actually free of charge. It is also correct that many things cannot be bought with money nor do they have to. Our Mother Earth supplies us with everything we need. True love, friendship, and compassion and more cannot be bought with any known currency. Nevertheless, I do believe in and dream of a wealthy world with lots and lots of money in it. Let me explain.

I grew up in a blue-collar family and neighborhood. Rarely did I experience or see anything that most people would call rich or wealthy in a monetary sense. I am talking about millionaires living a luxurious lifestyle. Truth be told, I only saw them on television. I was probably the biggest fan of the most popular soap operas of the 80s and 90s that portrayed wealthy families owning real estate, wineries, oil companies, multi-million dollar corporations and the like. I always loved marveling at their mansions, luxury cars, fancy clothes, and diamonds. I was so fascinated by the characters and stories that I would watch these shows over and over again.

I was so absorbed in the scenes that I almost forgot where I was. I was in my wealthy world. While I enjoyed watching the luxuries, I also understood that with such riches so much good in the world can be done. As I learned about giving, tilting, charity, and philanthropy, I started loving the idea of being wealthy myself. Ever since I was old enough to grasp the difference between rich, middle class and poor, I wanted more out of my life for this reason. From the time when I was a little girl, I wanted to help others, especially less fortunate people.

When I look around today, I see much wealth and luxury. I have also been very fortunate to enjoy it every once in a while. However, I also see a lot of poverty and need. It pains my heart that many children will die of hunger in their mother’s arms while you read this and while tons and tons of food are thrown away. It is unimaginable for me that millions of people don’t have warm clothes and shoes to wear, no homes to come home to, no education accessible to them to better themselves and so many other things that are quite affordable today.

This is why I dream of a wealthy world. This is why I dream of a wealthy me. I dream of being able to share what I have with the less fortunate. The more money I make, the more I can share. I dream of having my own foundation some day. I dream of a world free of poverty. In this sense, money is almost everything. This is my dream world. This is my dream of a wealthy world.

Love,

Barbara

barbarabullock.wordpress.com

#wealth #money #income #charity #giving #philanthropy #sharing #tilting #poverty #foundation

Tag: charity

What about the next morning?

Goodreads