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I love the idea of 29 days of gifts, and started right away.

Day 1: Saw a colleague struggling to go up the stairs while on crutches and trying to also hold onto her dry cleaning.  I offered to help her carry the dry cleaning and walked her to her office, while also asking her about her health and the reason for the crutches.

Day 2: Called a long-time friend whom I hadn't spoken to in many months.  I listened while she shared some of the serious challenges in her life she is…

Today I had to stop by the pharmacy and pick up some medications. As I was checking out, the sales clerk asked me if I wanted to donate to the American Cancer Society. I told her I did, and there was my gift for Day 18.

My gift was reaching out to a friend who's going through a lot right now.

Day 21 change to a roadside beggar

started listening to 'Keno Upnishad' - gift to self

Day 22 cheese patties & coke for mom-dad

inspiring links on stress relief & self-improvement on my blog http://spiritualboosters.com/2013/05/25/inspiring-links-from-stress-relief-to-self-improvement/

I went shopping today and was about to pull out of the store's parking lot into traffic when I noticed a pedestrian standing on the sidewalk, obviously waiting to cross in front of the store's parking lot. There's no light at that spot, so she was trying to watch cross traffic so she didn't get hit. She looked tired and miserable.

I caught her eye and motioned she could cross in front of me. She looked surprised and I nodded, smiled, and waved her across again. She gave me the biggest…

Feeling under the weather today.  I'm guessing it's a combination of fatigue, new diet regimen, lingering sadness and the ceaseless rain.  So even though I took care of things like having my car serviced, and scouting out some 'acceptable' foods, I've been taking it slow today. We have a few days off from school, today is one of them, and it came at just right the time.

(Speaking of the rain, does anyone remember an episode Twilight Zone or Outer Limits where humankind has had…

Today my gift was holding a friend in my thoughts and prayers today as she experienced the senseless of a friend to random gun violence.

I went through a McDonald's drive-through tonight and donated my $3.00 in change to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Again I have to hope that an embarrassingly small amount of money will be able to bring at least some good to the lives of families that use the Ronald McDonald Houses.

Day 22: I was totally tired. Might have been a short-lived virus, might have been the pollen count, might have been the 24-hour antihistamine that normally doesn't do that to me, but I was really, really tired. I gave myself the evening off of all the things I was going to do in the evening, and went to bed a little early instead. Taking care of myself was my gift to myself. Well, I was also a bit stressed because as I went to give my lecture, students and the professor from the prior class…

Tonight was the annual retirement dinner for my school.  Each year is a unique and thoroughly enjoyable evening.  It's also an opportunity to talk to some colleagues.

There is a young teacher who really inspired me recently with her commitment to a new and restricted eating regimen to deal with a physical condition.  I've been feeling out of control with food lately, and am also at risk for diabetes (my numbers are creeping up and my mom is diabetic, too).  I was inspired to begin a…

Today (Thursday),  I can't believe the first round is over so quickly. Today, I signed up for training to run a half marathon training program.  So I guess I'm giving myself the gift of self discipline, sacrifice, and self accountability.

Today (Wed) I received a gift.  Working with a patient we were discussing "giving and receiving help".  The patient stated that it is hard for her to ask for help. I quickly agreed.  Then she said "When you deny someone the privilege of helping you, you deny this person their blessing for helping". I guess you could call this my ahhh moment.  I never really looked at it from this point of view.  This is one my favorite things during the 29 Day Giving Challenge so far.  

R14 D29 My gift was to myself I contacted a dear friend and asked for a phone date. I caught up with a friend and got some much needed support. 

R15 D1 I made a donation to the PTA.

I talked to one of my friends today, and she was describing a book she had recently finished reading that she had really enjoyed. I asked her if she'd considered writing an Amazon review to give the author a little boost. She said she would love to do that, but didn't know how, so I talked her through posting a 5-star review for the book she liked so much.

I hope she'll post other reviews in the future. I know as an author that it means so much to me when someone takes the time to…

First, let me say that I am sending prayers out to everyone in Oklahoma and to their friends and families.

Day 22

Today's gift was immediate and unexpected.  I woke to the sound of hollow plastic bouncing on concrete---the wind had blown over several of my neighbors' garbage cans (empty, mercifully!) and they had rolled into the street.  I collected up the cans, safely stowed them where they wouldn't blow away again, closed the truck-bed topper that had blown…

Wow, tomorrow is the last day.  I will save that to be a post all its own.  Here is the next few days for me on my 29 Gifts journey:



 Day 23, May 17: I changed my gift to be offering to drive during a hectic time.  He needed to relax so I gave him the gift of being able to stare out the window, look at his iPhone and relax after a really tough day.



Day 24, May 18: A morning bike ride!  I don't bike ride with him as often as he wants, so…