Giving For Free
Last week my husband and I were at a local store returning some clothes that didn’t fit. As we walked in the door a woman ahead of us had her arms full of boxes she was returning. She dropped one and my husband picked it up for her. I asked her if she was going to returns and she said yes, so we helped her carry the items there. She ended up needing to go to a different part of the store because her items were Amazon returns. I told my husband he should accompany her there while I stood in line. She asked if I was sure and thanked us both profusely. My husband learned she was from Nigeria and had lived here for a while with her children. She could not believe we were willing to help her. It really wasn’t a big deal to either of us, but for her it was. For her it made a big difference.
Since my boys were young, I’ve wanted to teach them to be generous and giving toward others. Over the past years we collected gently played with toys to donate and clothes they had outgrown such as winter coats, hats, and gloves still in good condition. We bought toys to give to toys for tots, towels and food to donate to animal shelters, food to stock local pantries. We put together bags for the homeless containing personal hygiene products, new pairs of socks, and snacks. We set out bags of chips and different bottled drinks for the mail and delivery people.
My partner and I always try to lead by example: holding doors open for strangers, helping out others whenever needed, baking and delivering cookies to neighbors. And it’s paid off. Both of my boys now eagerly open doors for others, help right away if another child falls down, draw pictures for each other and friends just because, and the last time it snowed they went over and shoveled the driveway of an elderly neighbor without being asked.
The world can seem very cruel at times. Right now there is so much hatred and anger being spread around. All you have to do is turn on the news for a few minutes and you will be bombarded with it. Plus the cost of everything has gone up significantly. Our weekly food bill has tripled from this time last year. And not just because we now have a teenager who eats everything in sight.
Giving this time of year can feel like a daunting task. Many people just don’t have the extra funds to help. My mother in-law informed me that the food bank she volunteers at had a huge increase of families this past weekend. The amount of people needing help to feed their children and themselves nearly doubled in less than a month.
The good news is you do not have to have extra money to be generous. You can give for free every day and still make a significant difference in the lives of others. You can give your time and perform simple acts of kindness. Maybe you have an elderly neighbor who is struggling to take care of their yard and you can rake the leaves for them. You can send a kind email or text to a friend who is going through a tough time. You can spend some extra time with a child doing what they enjoy the most, even if it isn’t a favorite activity of yours (like playing Minecraft and building Legos.)
Maybe your partner or another family member has had a hard day at work and is grumpy. Instead of taking it personally and becoming annoyed you can give them some grace. Same goes for a child. Everyone has bad days sometimes.
Perhaps you can make extra of a dinner you have planned and bring it to someone you know who hasn’t had the time or energy to cook their own. Leave post it notes with inspiring messages in public places for people to find. Paint kindness rocks and hide them at your local park. Hold doors open for strangers, smile, give a compliment, tell someone to have a wonderful day. The list goes on and on and all of it is free.
All it takes is a little of your time. Your act of kindness and generosity could mean all the difference in the world to someone at a time when they need it most.