Dear Editor,
Many special days, fund raisers, and appeals by charities fill out November and December. These make up for the shorter and colder days.
Busy stuff and spending tend to make this time stressful. The special days and appeals for donations can provide relief from the stress.
Special days encourage us to celebrate life. Donating to charities of our choice can provide therapy for financial stress. People who choose not to donate or volunteer for causes or people outside of their families and circles of friends live in a self-centered view of the world. This makes them totally responsible for their well-being financially and emotionally.
People who choose to donate or volunteer for causes and people outside of their circles see themselves as part of a greater whole, view a world much bigger than themselves, a world to which they contribute and is, therefore part of themselves. Giving some of what we have loosens the chains that our possessions can impose on us. The freer we are to share what we have and our time and talents for people and causes that seem to offer little or nothing in return to us, the freer we are to enjoy what we have and our time and talents. We are less stressed, less anxious about financial and time challenges because we know we are not alone and have a deeper trust of the world because of people like us who are also generous.
I encourage readers to enjoy the blessings of the season; trust that we will be able to access what we need, not necessarily what we want; and enjoy the blessings that flow from generosity.
Sincerely,
Jim Kenney
East Hawkesbury
