Giving

Dear Friend,

Sometimes we get into the mindset where we think we are the center of the universe. Events are planned according to our own schedules and people's actions are in our best interests- the world must revolve us. It is definitely important to take care of ourselves, but becoming so wrapped up in our own interests can lead to  selfishness. It is imperative that we step back from our own lives and take a moment to look around. It doesn't hurt to become concerned about others, in fact, it should be our duty as fellow human beings to be interested in the welfare of others. We need to learn how to give. Being able to put aside our issues so that we can give back to others is very important. But what does it mean to give? In this post, we have decided to share gifts we have given people- both physical and priceless.

Physical Gifts 
When you hear "physical gifts," you probably think of the gifts you give to your family and friends on their birthdays. These gifts can range from buying a new watch or paying for their dinner. Today, the two of us helped carry out a very special event at our school. We planned a surprise day full of fun activities for our school to enjoy- we brought everything from bouncy castles to go karts on campus. These physical gifts can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but they all have one meaning- to show that we care. We wanted to give back to our community and planning this event helped us show people that we appreciated them.

Priceless Gifts 
These gifts don't have a monetary value attached to them. They can be as simple as lending someone a coat on a cold day or writing a handwritten card for them. You don't have to pay a single cent to give these gifts- it's more about the thought behind them that counts. In our lives, we give the gift of joy to people (at least we hope we do). Roald Dahl once said "If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." Positive thoughts are key in spreading happiness to others. If you are the type of person to complain a lot and put your problems above others, then there's no opportunity for joy to arise. As we said before, it doesn't cost anything to bring joy to people- it just takes your time and effort. This can be very difficult to do, but just take deep breaths and put a smile on your face. Something that you think is meaningless can mean a great deal to someone else.

Giving to others can cause a chain reaction. By putting someone else's needs before your own can be a great example to people. If we all give either gifts to each other every day, we guarantee that people will be more loving and happier.

"It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."- Mother Teresa 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

P.S- Thanks to the person who suggested this blog post. You know who you are. (Suggestions for posts are always welcome! We want to know what you want to read.)

[If you are reading this in your e-mail, please check our blog online as some changes may have been made.]