Christmas is about giving & receiving

Christmas is about giving and receiving

December 26, 2012

By: Gina Yoryet Roman

My eight six email addresses are to drive one bananas because I am constantly bombarded with a TON of junk email. Between the massive amount of messages, there was an instanter whose title captured my eye immediately: http://www.care2.com/.  Care2causes is the largest online community for healthy and green living, human rights and animal welfare. 

The timing of this message couldn't have been more precise, making me reason and overturn my LONG list of requests (put the selfish gene lying within behind) for the upcoming year.

10 Random Acts of Kindness, an article written by Ximena Ramirez on December 20, talks about RECEIVING the following gifts…

1) Kindness 

2) Love

3) Affection

4) Warmth

5) Peace

6) Promise

7) Brotherhood

8) Understanding 

9) Human quality

10) Smiling

Plus the gift of giving randomly and being kind to strangers without expecting absolutely anything in exchange.

The most genuine act of granting love to others was number 8, 'Gas for Christmas,' that of Don Reed who willingly and lovingly camped out at a Tennessee gas station for an hour surprising 80 strangers and filled their gas tank using money from his own pocket. He only asked those lucky folks to pay it forward. 

That is one of the beauties of doing charity work and about life; Give and receive, receive and give, follow the wise saying, "What comes around, goes around."

I try to apply this principle of giving more than receiving yet most Christmas and almost my entire life I have received more than what I can ever give back.

When one gives without asking for, or expecting anything in return, sooner or later the blessings will be returned in twofold. I've experienced and witnessed that in different occasions throughout my life, that's why in 2013 my list of goals is to give and do more for others because there are many whose needs surpass mine.

I will start off by re-connecting with a great lady (a client of mine) I just met who in her seventies is very community alert and active. She collects funds to donate and buy blankets, clothes, food, etc. and visits retirement homes and orphanages.

My dream is to die giving and doing random acts of kindness to warm many peoples' souls and spread that culture in Mexico.

"Plans change, people disappoint and traditions expire.

Release your expectations of the holidays and be open to surprise."

By: Cheryl Richardson