Days 13, 14, 15: The Giving Circle
I've dubbed this "The Summer of the Headless Chicken" in honor of how I feel most days. Between work drama, family drama, and a heat index of 105, my brain is sizzling. Thanks to all of the book giveaway participants for your patience. My goal is to box up/package this week and send by Saturday at the latest.
Fortunately, I have this giving circle happening to remind me to slow down and be mindful of all of the small and large gifts that come and go in my life daily.
For instance: on Sunday, we were to be responsible for the teenage son of some friends, which allowed us to give. That night, some friends who own a B&B invited us for dinner and a free stay, so we could "get away" for a bit. I gave her a "happy" as they call small-gifts-for-no-reason in MS. Then she gave us a tasty sweet bread to take home. Today I get to share it with friends at work. Hmm. Maybe it's really a giving spiral, but you know what I mean.
On Monday night, we finally retrieved our hive box of wild bees from the home of some other friends -- we removed a pest from their tree, they gave us our first colony of bees for our new enterprise. The Giving Circle. [Bee transport is a post of its own, but suffice it to say, moving a box full of bees in the dark up a hill at 9:45 at night is not my idea of relaxing before bed.]
Before this 29-Day Giving Challenge, I was less aware, and thus less appreciative of this perpetual give and take among friends. I hope in my new-found awareness I'll cultivate more gratitude.
So, Day 13 was taking care of Caleb, Day 15 is Cake Sharing Day, but my real giving experiment was on Day 14: Compliment Day.
I tried to compliment, praise, thank, or in some way positively stroke every person I talked to or came into contact with. Here is what I found:
1) It's easy to compliment women on superficial things, such as clothes or hair.
2) No woman likes her hair, really.
3) Most people do not hear enough positive stuff.
4) Saying, "I appreciate you" means a lot in the workplace.
5) Elevators are great places to say, "Have a great day."
6) Everyone likes being acknowledged, even if it's just a smile.
7) That old adage, "You get more flies with honey than vinegar," is absolutely true.
8) Being positive is *free* but costs you in your willingness to focus on it, and push your comfort zone reaching out to people.
9) It's worth it.
Image by Emily Hayes, via Minnesota Artists .
Fortunately, I have this giving circle happening to remind me to slow down and be mindful of all of the small and large gifts that come and go in my life daily.
For instance: on Sunday, we were to be responsible for the teenage son of some friends, which allowed us to give. That night, some friends who own a B&B invited us for dinner and a free stay, so we could "get away" for a bit. I gave her a "happy" as they call small-gifts-for-no-reason in MS. Then she gave us a tasty sweet bread to take home. Today I get to share it with friends at work. Hmm. Maybe it's really a giving spiral, but you know what I mean.
On Monday night, we finally retrieved our hive box of wild bees from the home of some other friends -- we removed a pest from their tree, they gave us our first colony of bees for our new enterprise. The Giving Circle. [Bee transport is a post of its own, but suffice it to say, moving a box full of bees in the dark up a hill at 9:45 at night is not my idea of relaxing before bed.]
Before this 29-Day Giving Challenge, I was less aware, and thus less appreciative of this perpetual give and take among friends. I hope in my new-found awareness I'll cultivate more gratitude.
So, Day 13 was taking care of Caleb, Day 15 is Cake Sharing Day, but my real giving experiment was on Day 14: Compliment Day.
I tried to compliment, praise, thank, or in some way positively stroke every person I talked to or came into contact with. Here is what I found:
1) It's easy to compliment women on superficial things, such as clothes or hair.
2) No woman likes her hair, really.
3) Most people do not hear enough positive stuff.
4) Saying, "I appreciate you" means a lot in the workplace.
5) Elevators are great places to say, "Have a great day."
6) Everyone likes being acknowledged, even if it's just a smile.
7) That old adage, "You get more flies with honey than vinegar," is absolutely true.
8) Being positive is *free* but costs you in your willingness to focus on it, and push your comfort zone reaching out to people.
9) It's worth it.
Image by Emily Hayes, via Minnesota Artists .
Posted by Keri Collins at 6/15/2010 10:58 AM 
Categories: Miscellaneous
Tags: work 29-Day Giving Challenge friends food
Categories: Miscellaneous
Tags: work 29-Day Giving Challenge friends food
Transporting a box of bees?! Please do share how that is done! Just the idea gives me the shivers, and I'm particularly bee-phobic. You and Mark are formidable people. : )
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No, we're just crazy.
They're all sealed up in a box with special ventilation, and according to the experts, "they're predisposed to staying put while they're being transported." They certainly weren't happy, but they stayed put.
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