Round 7 - Day 27 - 27 already??!!!!

[Laura M]

Day 27--Wow 27 already!!! (Wednesday 8/8/12):

*  Today's gift was spur-of-the moment levity and kindness and smiles for a young couple in the grocery store, working-class, either Disagreeing or Tired-At-The-End-Of-The-Day or Trying-To-Get-The-Best-Deal-For-A-Dollar, I wasn't quite sure.  I walked by them in the frozen food aisle and they didn't look too happy, maybe just tired, guy with a baby in one hand and the freezer door in the other hand, wearing a black T-shirt with a logo and slogan that I'm too old to understand, giving directions to the girl about what pizza would be best to buy, which she didn't necessarily agree with, and as I stood there stunned in wonder that non-dairy ice cream would now be $6 per pint, I heard the bits of discussion, not the words really, just the tone, and as we both finally made our decisions & the freezer doors shut & we all turned to walk away... I walked right up & leaned in close on that little boy in the guy's arms and said, "WHAT a beautiful baby! He is just cute as a button!!!"

And as I twinkled and smiled at him, he started twinkling and smiling and got all shy and pulled his head right down under Dad's chin, and in that moment Dad started a bit of a smile, and the smiles and eyes were so much the same that I said to Dad, "Now I could be very wrong, of course, I mean I suppose you could be her brother"--pointing to the Mom whose eyes were now brightening up too--"but otherwise I would say there's no doubt that's your son."  And oh, they both broke into grins & yes, yes, everybody comments on how much they look the same, and I said, "Yep, he is just beautiful, and YOU (Dad) definitely do not have to worry about that being the mailman's kid!"  And we all walked away laughing & happy, Baby included.

 

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Just that moment--being happy & being happy with them & finding it in myself in that moment to jump in and break up the tough money decisions with remembering what makes it all worthwhile

* My oldest childhood friend who I hope to spend some time with this weekend

* A long conversation with my dentist that cleared the air about some difficulties we've had with repairing one of my teeth, make that two teeth that have had problems, & how frustrating it's been for both of us.  And being able to make some plans with us both on the same page and move on.

 

Best to all today--

L

 

 

Day 26 (Tuesday 8/7/12):

Well, here's a little weird one I learned something from accidentally today  (no pun intended):

So I got to the end of the day & realized I really hadn't consciously given anything I would count as a "Gift".

It was sunset at the park & my dog and I were the last to leave the parking lot.

So I decided to 'give away' some money by letting some change and 2 $1 bills fall onto the ground for someone else to find tomorrow in the parking lot--giving away that feeling of, "Hey!  I found a dollar!"

EXCEPT that it occurred to me as I was driving away... if it was me finding it... then I'd think, "Oh, that poor person, their money probably fell out of their pocket accidently while they were fishing for their keys or as they were getting in or out of their car, and they didn't realize it... Awwwww, that's too bad :-( ".

AND THEN I realized... BUT it *wasn't* an accident.

It was put there in someone's path deliberately, for them to find as a gift, deliberately, not an accident at all.

It may *look like* it was an accident...

and they will benefit from someone else's "accidentally" dropping the money or "losing" it...

and maybe they will even feel mixed feelings about it...

except it *wasn't* an Accident at all;

it was exactly & specifically left as a Gift for them.

So I wonder how many other "accidents" or "oh, that's too bad"s are actually not accidents--or Losses--at all.

Just Gifts left in the path, deliberately, for us to find.  As something Good.

^ today's Deep Thought by Jack Handey

^ And me showing my age now

:-)

3 things I'm grateful for today:

*  That I gave my employer a good hard day's work that I feel good about & ended on a good note with a hard project

*  Not much better on a summer night after leaving the park than hitting the Sonic drive-through with 80 million other people for a grilled cheese sandwich & a Diet Coke with a shot of Cherry syrup

*  Just coupons in the mail today.  I don't usually use them, but I guess it's almost like money in the mailbox & it's certainly not bills.

Day 25 (Monday 8/6/12):

*  Unplanned Giving:  Gave $2 to someone standing outside the gas station with a scooter & a sign asking for money for gas.  No judgment, just did it.  They promptly hopped on their scooter and drove off without stopping to buy gas.  (OK, so maybe they had just filled up with money already received & will use that towards their next tank.  Ahem.  Still feels better to say, "yes, I will share", rather than shut down with "no" and look away.)

3 gifts I am grateful for this day:

*  Filled up my own gas tank with my debit card because I didn't have enough cash on me to do much besides give what I had to that person... grateful that I had money in the bank even if I didn't have it on me.

*  Walking my dog around the campus of the nationally-known head injury hospital & being grateful that is not a challenge I am faced with... although I am confident I would be cared for if I was.

* The movie RED (yep, John Malkovich is the best--"Old Man, my a**!")

* My computer

* Deb & Lois who seem to reply to every single post!  Thanks friends!

L

Day 24 (Sunday 8/5/12):

* Put a "29 Gifts" bookmark in a book I was returning to the library for someone else to find later....  (this is part of what I meant for this Round about things I around the house I mean to give out to others but never quite hand out... happy to share this today)

3 things I am grateful for this day:

*  The beautiful and tree-filled dog park that is safe to go to at dusk when it's too hot to go play any earlier in the day

*  Taking better care of myself when I realized 2 specific things that were bothering me yesterday & taking some of my energy... they may not be resolved immediately but at least I know I may need to be kinder to myself right now in the middle of it all

*  My mom

*  Air conditioning

*  My clothes washing in the clothes washer for a happy start to the workweek & having a few new summer clothes that make me feel good when I wear them

*  I do believe in a good & just God in the biggest picture even when I do not understand all that goes on in this world or even just my own

*  Indoor plumbing

*  Having a job when 8% of my fellow citizens do not

*  Big Bang Theory (the TV show)

*  And of course this site!!!  And everybody on it... everybody doing their best to give and share what they can, as they can, in the moment, each day.

Day 23 (Saturday 8/4/12):

Rest day for me--did not go outside all day.  Donated online at freekibble.com & called it a day.

3 things I am grateful for this day:

*  I guess I needed to sleep & that was good.

*  Kept myself fed spiritually with a book on CD that is making a big impact on me

*  Let myself veg out on DVDs of the 1st season of Big Bang Theory--ha

Day 22 (Friday 8/3/12):

*  Gave a coworker a present to celebrate her finishing up a 3-month grueling class for a professional certification... a quote that reminded me of her, in a frame.  It took me a while to find the right thing... and then it took me a while to give it to her... because this is what I do--and this is what this Challenge helps me with--having grand ideas at first but having trouble finishing them up... so actually giving it to her is the victory.  :-)

3 things I am grateful for today:

*  That I have been keeping up these gratitude lists for this whole round!  Tonight in some other writing I was challenged to write a list of 5 things I am grateful for in this week & I found it easy to go on to 10 or 15 total... just little & big everyday things...

* That I did get my dog some help last weekend with the vet & the groomer in addition to the home remedies for his itching & I am so glad he is not attacking himself anymore with the scratching; I felt so bad for him to be so itchy.

* That my PT seems to be helping my carpal tunnel symptoms (fingers crossed on this one)... just a lot of stretching for me to keep up with both this injury & the back/neck stuff.... Sorry to write so much about it, but--one little instant of someone else not paying attention while driving...  it's been such a lesson to me the damage we can do to somone else in just an instant.

* That I can go to bed early tonight if I want to & tomorrow is to be cooler and rainy.  If I want to stay in & just stare at the ceiling, tomorrow is the day to do it.

* My car runs, my home is dry & cool, I have money to buy coffee in the mornings if I wish, I kept a cheerful attitude at work this week, I found a book of a spiritual nature that I devoured in a week because it spoke to me... it's all good.

Happy Saturday.

L

Day 21 (Thursday 8/2/12)

*  Planned giving:  Stopped at Starbucks and bought an apple fritter for a coworker who got a promotion the day before.  We have an ongoing joke about apple fritters.

*  Unplanned giving:  This was funny for me to experience--I went to the grocery store with the goal of buying just what I was needing for the next day or two, nothing big.  Seltzer was the main item I went in for, and when I got to that aisle it was pretty much stripped.  The type of seltzer I wanted had only 3 bottles left on the shelf, which is what I wanted at the very least.  But I found myself taking 2 bottles & leaving 1 for someone else... if there was someone else coming to the store just for that thing, just like me... there would at least be 1 bottle for them.

3 things I'm grateful for this day:

*  Feeling relaxed at work & getting enough done

*  A chat with a neighbor I haven't seen for a while (who also does tend to go on)... and it got interrupted by someone asking me to move my car for a certain reason, which ended the conversation easily and kindly before it got too long.

*  A wonderful play time with my dog & taking the long way home to finish listening in the car to a CD that I love

Day 20 (Wedneday 8/1/12):

*  Bought 2 pieces of caramel at the coffee shop on the way into work to give to the coworkers that sit closest to me.  One is getting ready to go on vacation & is a little nervous about having all her work done before she goes (annoyingly nervous, if you ask me, which you didn't, so let me just volunteer my unkind opinion without being asked) & of course doing something for someone who's wearing you out is a pickup for me as well as for her... 2 gifts in 1.

* Gave the birds gathering around me as I ate lunch outside part of a corn tortilla torn into tiny pieces.

3 things I am grateful for in this day:

*  Took a real lunch hour, in part to listen to a CD of a spiritual nature that really has me inspired & thinking

*  Looking at all the work I have to do in my job & knowing--it will always be there--just prioritize and stay cheerful.  Be, not do.  Do not let other people's nervousness roll over the cube wall onto me.

*  Took the dog for a walk after work & found 2 of the 4 buttons that I stuck into trees the other night are still there!  And 2 found their way to new homes (even if someone took them down to throw them out--I'm sure they still read the message 1st & now that those buttons are out rolling around in the world, who knows where they will end up?)  Good news either way & made me laugh.

Day 19 (Tuesday 7/31/12):

Wow this round is rolling right along & I still have so many things I thought I would do that I haven't yet.

Gentle day today:

*  Broke up the top bread piece of my breakfast biscuit to scatter for birds... breakfast for them too & less carbs for me

*  Freekibble.com for the day to give kibble to the shelter animals

*  Gave some time to a clerk I know to listen to her story about shoulder surgery when I didn't really feel like listening to that when I wanted to go home after a long day, but then there she was with a sling on her arm, and I couldn't just ignore that...

3 things I am grateful for in this day:

* Wonderful lunch with a coworker who showed me her pictures from her trip to Africa

* Making good headway on a work project that actually excites me

* Went swimming and noticed less pain or symptoms than usual for the day

Day 18 (Monday 7/30/12):

* Months ago (at the end of Round 1, I think), I ordered Cami's book from this site boutique, along with some buttons & bookmarks.  Well, I found the bag of buttons the other day that I bought to give away & never did.  So I put 2 of them in the bulletin board by my front door ("Every day is a gift"/"You are a gift').  And today I took 4 of them with me when I walked the dog & stuck them into trees along the way (trees on public property, like along the trail, etc) in 2 sets of 2 trees next to each other:  "Every day is a gift"/"You are a gift".  Kinda of like the old Burma Shave signs!  We'll see how long they stay there.  It was very fun/funny.

3 things I am grateful for this day:

* A helpful meeting with my boss about planning my work for the next 2 months

* That I put the extra effort into the dog over the weekend--he is much less itchy after getting prescription medication from the vet & an extra scrubdown at the groomers.  I am grateful he is not suffering & I am grateful to have had the funds to do both those things as needed.

* That I found I had another jar candle on hand when this one on my computer desk was all the way burned down

Happy Tuesday-

L

Day 17 (Sunday 7/29/12):

* Donated 2 cans of pet food to a food drive at the checkout at the pet food store

* Lots of waves to people who let me in while merging in traffic etc

3 things I am grateful for in this day:

* I called the dog groomer to see if I could get my dog in on Sunday (last-minute) to give him a good scrubbing and conditioning to help with his itching & YES she was in & YES she had 1 opening left for the day & YES we took it.

* Went for a long drive for some errands & got to concentrate on a CD book I'd picked up from the library Saturday

* Did absolutely no housework this weekend & so kinda messy but I am grateful for my home, my bed, food, my car, the time to take a nap... Don't want to take these things for granted.

Day 16 (Saturday 7/28/12):

*  Pulled out some extra change from my purse to dump into a donation box at a check-out stand, rather than just the change I was getting back from my transaction

*  Did this again later in the day

*  Keeping up the freekibble.com every day gets my spirits going when I open up my email

3 things I am grateful for in this day:

*  I was mostly a slug & took 2 naps on Saturday & because I seemed to need it, I am glad to have the time for it

*  When I called the vet to ask about medication or an appt for my dog who is itching himself despite the home remedies after 2 weeks, the only appt they had for the whole day was at that very moment & they said they'd keep the space for me if I could be there in 10 minutes.  I pulled on clothes & a baseball cap & now my dog has some prescription-strength help for a week or 2 & could start on it yesterday instead of waiting a few more days for an appt after work.  I am thankful for the perfect timing & that I did not make the call even 5 minutes later.  .

* A book on CD of a spiritual nature that I ordered Friday at the library was there on Saturday morning when I stopped by & it's been a joy to listen to over the weekend at home and driving around on some long errand trips

Thanks to all & happy Sunday,

L

Day 15 (Friday 7/27/12):

*  Gave a coworker an invitation to lunch & a gift card for us to go get some lunch together so I could hear more about her trip recently to Africa and spend more than just a few minutes on it

* OH YEAH did one of my old "Friday Fives" where I left a $5 bill under the windshield wiper of one of the cars in my office building's parking lot... surprise!

3 things I am grateful for today:

*  A wonderful company picnic today where (attending as a single) I did my best to play Host instead of Guest in welcoming people and their spouses and making an effort to make others comfortable instead of waiting for people to approach or include me first

* That my dog seems to be a little less itchy with the remedies I started up a few days ago

*  That I have no plans tomorrow & can sleep and rest if I want, which might be a good idea

What I received today:

* 2 phone calls thanking me for gifts I sent this week (my mom for her card & my friend for her flowers).  I am thankful for the feeling of being connected & a sense of community in investing in the relationships I do have rather than that other feeling that comes in wishing I had More or Different... as if what I have is not Enough.

Day 14 (Thursday 7/26/12):

Could not get this to post yesterday... not sure if it was my machine or the site but in any case....

*  Mailed off to my mom an absolutely hysterical greeting card about cats that had me bursting out loud laughing in the store & I that I knew she would love

3 things I was grateful for in that day:

*  Finding myself waving thank-you waves to people in traffic and on the street... more spontaneous gifts of gratitude that were becoming a habit from all the previous Challenges but that I guess I sort of dropped when I took a break... waving & FEELING grateful is coming back again

* A long complicated letter from my health insurance company saying that they would be reimbursing money to my employer for a certain % of premiums (new legal requirements under new health care laws) & I'll either be getting some money back or getting lower health care premiums next year.  Nice--who knew?

* A wonderful play class with my dog that still has my endorphins pumping happiness through my body

Day 13 (Wednesday 7/25/12):

Went a little better today---

*  Ordered flowers to be delivered to a friend who has helped me through a tough time at work recently.  She really deserved them a week or two ago, but this again is what this Challenge helps me with--doing those things I "mean to" do for others but don't quite actually do.  Hurray!

*  Returned an email to a friend who wrote to me about getting together... once again, finishing & responding instead of delaying.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Long talk with a couple different physical therapists about my hands and a few different opinions on what might be happening & the possibilities long-term based on what they've seen in their experience... the extra time & extra opinions as they had time at the end of the day was very helpful

* Got in front of a project at work & from that got some information on just what's coming so I'm more ready for having taken the initiative about it & discovered more than I thought was there

* Nice long walk with the dog after it cooled off at dusk... took him through his favorite park & watched the sun go down

Happy Thursday--

L

Day 12 (Tuesday 7/24/12):

Very tired today again.  Didn't have any gives planned & I see that being tired maybe I wasn't quite open to seeing opportunities either, I guess.  Did my freekibble.com and gave one of my doctors a big fat hug when I left because I am very grateful for his support and input right now.  That's it for today.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* I called a surgeon's office to leave a message about a question about some past and pending treatment & the surgeon himself picked the phone right up & gave me great support & let me know he'd done some research and calls in the background since our last call to make sure all is on track with another doctor as part of the plan.  I was really thankful for that because it's been a little confusing and tiring to me.

* Finished all my work for the month on time

* Made some calls about financial matters related to the car accident I was in and found that even though I haven't stayed on top of it all, I have paid what I'm supposed to under my health insurance as we go along with nothing outstanding that we could see & providers are being paid.  I was really thankful for that too.

* Spent some time with my mom watching a funny TV show she loves to end the day.  That was fun & I appreciate these times more as I see her growing older & it dawns on me she may not be around forever.

Happy Wednesday--

L

Day 11 (Monday 7/23/12):

Found myself very tired today.  Freekibble.com online was all I was able to do today.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Having a job

* Being able to go swimming after work

* Being able to work a little longer than planned to be ahead for the week

Day 10 (Sunday 7/22/12):

*  Gave 50 cents to a guy on the sidewalk asking for change: "50 cents, ma'am, or a dollar?".  I found myself making an exasperated sound when I fished in my bag for it, I think it was more surprise & confusion at being confronted by this unexpectedly than disgust, but I was a little surprised at that and that I only gave him 50 cents when I'd just walked out of a burrito stand where I spent $2 on a breakfast burrito to go and $1.50 in quarters on the newspaper at the newspaper box on the way to my car.  I'd also watched a movie Saturday based on a true story about a best-selling spiritual author who spent a while homeless before he did his writing & it had made me think about: you never know who a homeless person really is or why they are homeless.  And then when confronted with one 24 hours later, no, I didn't have much to give or much interest in talking.  A little disappointed in myself about that, like I wanted to be better than that but wasn't.

* Keeping up the freekibble.com as a way to give every day

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Nice time with my mom watching a funny TV show she found & replayed for me On Demand when I visited

* The energy to pick up my house

* Clean clothes & a washer and dryer to use to do the wash at home

Happy Monday--

L

Day 9 (Saturday 7/21/12:

* Got online sadly & gave another donation to the Red Cross again--this time to the Mile High Chapter which is providing services in particular to those displaced from their homes by the Aurora theater shootings.  Don't mean to talk about it too much... but families in the suspect's apartment building & 4 surrounding apartment buildings were removed in a hurry from their homes because of the booby-trapping (bombs and chemicals) he left set up in his apartment; many are staying in a Red Cross shelter and last I heard the police/FBI etc are still working on it, so they may or may not be able to go home by tonight or maybe tomorrow.  Big sigh & speechless...

* In other news, I seem to have given a new air conditioner to MY DOG.  My window unit started grinding to a halt, and since I am not comfortable trotting off to work on Monday leaving him in 100 degree heat, I got a new one shopped for, purchased, pulled the old one out, stuck the new one in, and we are all set.  He is, I mean.  (Oh, and yes, there's quite a big of benefit to me personally that having him around made me get it taken care of quick and I'm nice and cool too.)

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Sleeping in my own bed at home tonight instead of on a cot in a high school... although I trust they are being cared for & I would be too if this was happening on my street

* Yes, air conditioning, and the money in the spending plan available to buy it

* That someone had their sprinklers on for my dog & me to run through when it was still 85 degrees at 9:30pm when we took our evening walk

* That books and movies are free at the library.  Free.  Just free.

* This community committed to giving and sharing and a best effort at putting Good out into the world as we're able & the support that we offer each other in doing so--thank you.

* Willie Nelson on Austin City Limits as I finish writing this

* The Good News Network site that offers only that... *good* news from around the world.  No more shootings talk.

The 1 thing I did de-clutter today (and restored to Beauty/Purpose):  My bulging purse

Peace to you & your family for your Sunday--

L

Day 8 (Friday 7/20/12):

* Gave a coworker a bottle of ChocoVino chocolate wine--yes, such a thing exists--all wrapped up in a gift bag, just for fun.  We were joking recently about some tough times we were each facing with some changes in our workplace due to rapid growth and he mentioned how it was "driving him to drink" ha ha ha but sort of serious, and I said, "well, I keep a drawer full of chocolate myself-- everybody's got their drug of choice" ha ha ha but sort of serious... so just for fun I went looking for something that combined the two.  He's somebody I deeply respect as a person and family man and leader in our workplace, and it surprised me but did me good to know he was facing the same issues as me in a totally different area of our company and it hasn't been easy for him either.

I actually went looking for chocolate beer--and Yes, it does exist!  Who knew???  But it's a seasonal thing... winter stout, etc... so I settled for the novelty wine & it was good for a laugh & a Friday afternoon gift for him to take home for him & his wife.

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* That the worst problems I have at work are due to my company growing (not downsizing, struggling, or closing)

* My favorite morning disc jockey on a local rock station--always very present, self-depreciating & careful to never disrespect or disparage anyone else especially when he does not know the whole situation--the way he chose to acknowledge the theater shootings in our community and some listeners' feelings about it, without sensationalizing or editorializing... this was a gift to us all in keeping us grounded as the news unfolded as we were waking up and going to work.  I listen to that station just because of him & he doesn't even know how much of a difference he makes in my life.

* I think the physical therapy I'm getting now for an arm injury (STILL left over from that car accident) is actually seeming to help, pretty quickly too, so far at least (don't want to speak too soon but... that's how it is today)

Peace to all & may we all remember that we never know the difference a kind word may make...

L

Day 7 (Thursday 7/19/12)

*  Gave my boss a small cactus with a flower blooming out the top... as a symbol of good things coming out of lines and prickles lately in some good work we've been doing.  Just a small gesture for fun.

*  Kept up with the freekibble.com email to keep the shelter animals fed

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Good meeting with my boss to keep things moving along in a good way

* A fun agility play class I took with my dog for the 1st time & his excited little face when he caught on that it was going to be nothing but Treats Treats Treats in this place if he paid really good attention.  And he did.  And barked at me a couple times when they did not seem to be coming fast enough.  :-)

* This Challenge to keep me focused on other people again & the good things in my life...

Sweet dreams,

L

Day 6 (Wednesday 7/18/12):

*  Gave the gift of picking up the phone when it rang.  I stayed home from work in the morning because I wasn't feeling well, and the phone rang in the middle of the morning, and it's a friend I only hear from occasionally and usually only when she's stressed out.  But I decided to stay involved in the world (part of this Challenge for me) by not ignoring the call especially since I was home and could talk.  She was a little surprised I was there, and we talked about an hour and a half, and the gift to me ended up being that she had some experience and insight into a situation I'm facing myself that I didn't even expect to talk about.

*  Stayed with the freekibble.com as a way to give to homeless animals

*  A dollar fell out of my pocket when I pulled my keys out of my pocket on the way home from walking the dog, and I decided to just leave it on the sidewalk for someone else to find... giving away that thrilling of feeling of "Hey! Is that a dollar! I found a dollar! Ha ha ha!"  That is always fun.

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Taking care of myself by staying home when I needed

*  Being fair to my employer by working as long as I could once I got in to work

*  Having another friend I could call after work about something at work that bothered me & got it all out

Best to all today -

L

Day 5 (Tuesday 7/17/12):

*  Gave a vase of dried flowers a new life by taking it out of my house to my desk at work where it brightens up the area a bit as something Pretty

*  Started back with freekibble.com's daily email as a way to give every day when I check my email

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Getting some not-easy things accomplished at work in what I think was the smoothest way possible

* Leaving work without working late because I felt a little funny and run-down

* Getting a haircut!  After forgetting to schedule one for too long & feeling a little not-so-pretty with my lumpy too-long hair

Best to all today--

L

Day 4 (Monday 7/16/12):

* Went to a local bank at lunch time today & made a small donation to the community memorial fund for the family of a local police officer killed in the line of duty by a drunk man over the Memorial Day weekend.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* That I feel enough a part of my community & care enough to have this event affect me, to let it move me to action.

* That I'm free to go to bed early tonight if I wish & I think I will sleep well

* ? Getting my favorite salad at the lunch place today

Peace to you & yours--

L

Day 3 (Sunday 7/15/12):

Had my 1st experience of being a Recipient/Participant on a Pay-it-Forward:  I drove through the Starbucks drive-through on the way to the dog park & when I got to the counter to pay, the guy said, "The gentlmen in front of you has already paid for your drink.  Would you like to pay the $2.86 for the car behind you?"  So of course I said yes & then left what was remaining as the difference as a big tip for the barista.  So it was all the same as what I would have spent on my own.

(I kind of wondered if he'd done that because when we were pulling in, I got there 1st but let him go in the line ahead of me because I was making a left turn in & he had the right-turn right of way & I could have jumped in front if I'd wanted, but I didn't.  Or maybe it was just already going on in the line ahead of him.  None of my business, really--just say thank you--but I did kind of wonder.)

But then I did decide to keep it going in a 2nd direction... I stopped at a muffin place too (not a fan of Starbucks baked goods) & bought a muffin & told the manager there what had just happened at the coffee shop & then decided to leave another $2.26 for a muffin for the next person who came in.  He was on board with it ("oh--paying if forward", he says), and left the money right there on the side of the register nice & handy.

It was fun & actually very exciting... my 1st time with all that.  I think that muffin place might turn into a place I could do that on occasion (not an ice cream shop, but thanks, Island Girl, for the inspiration!)

3 things I am grateful for:

* Take out food when I am too tired to be bothered otherwise

* Making time for spiritual readings on a Sunday

* Time with my Mom when I can see she is getting older & may not be around forever

Day 2 (Saturday 7/14/12);

* Made my donations online to the Red Cross for disaster relief on the 2 big Colorado wildfires.

A little late to the party, you say... ?  Well, this is some of what I mean about those things I always "mean to" do... but don't actually get 'around to" as often or as quickly unless I am in one of these Challenges.  At least, these Challenges make me show up in my world, my life, my community in ways that are very easy for me to forget or ignore or withdrawn from if I'm not making a commitment.  Yes, I can say I've donated to the world around me & to the Red Cross before I heard of the 29Gifts idea... but, for example... I laid down to take a nap tonight & realized that the gift I'd meant to give today did not actually happen & that I might not wake back up before tomorrow started, and so I'd have nothing for Day 2 AND HAVE TO START OVER WHEN I JUST GOT STARTED AGAIN YESTERDAY, so I got up OUT OF BED to come online & give something that I 'meant to' do last month but never did.  Day 2--yep, I did it.

Cross that 'undone' one off the list (this is the kind of thing I meant in describing my Intentions for this round).

Sweet Dreams,

L

PS--3 things I am grateful for today

*  My car passed the emissions test needed to get new license plates for the year

*  I found a great new place to go play with my dog

*  I have money to donate to those who have lost their home while I personally am free for today of the worry of where I will sleep and what I will eat, and I have a running car, and my dog and family are in safe places.  It is enough; in fact, it's plenty.

Day 1 (Friday 7/13/12):

*  Gave a coworker a thank you card for some souvenirs she brought us each back this week from her big fat once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa!

*  Found out it was National French Fry Day (!), got everybody who wanted to go rounded up for the drive-through at McDonald's at lunch time, & brought back a bag or two extra to those who almost went but didn't have money or were too shy to jump on board.  I am proud to have done my Patriotic/Civic Duty today in observing this holiday diligently & thoroughly.  :-)

Intentions for this Round:

I found myself entirely shocked and grateful that I was able to give myself a Big Gift at the end of last round in paying off a monthly bill (student loan) in full... and being willing to let it go and be free of it.

That still was a gift that I gave to myself (not other people) although I absolutely credit the 6 rounds of this Challenge with contributing somehow to the Flow that allowed that to happen.  I almost had to take a break just to absorb that this actually happened in my life & savor the difference.

But it's time to concentrate again on the out-Flow to others.  I find (as I've written before) that what this Challenge does is force me to reach out to others in ways that I might think I'd like to do or that I 'mean' to, but somehow never actually 'get around' to it.

And in this little break since May... boy, there's a lot of things left undone... thank-yous not actually given, events in people's lives that deserve attention but didn't get it... and oh, yeah, that tendency to go back to focusing on MeMeMe without even realizing it.

My intentions this round:

* Finish up the thank-yous that deserve to be said/done

* Come back around to those who have had deaths or losses in their lives who might appreciate a little more comfort or attention than I gave originally

* And as always.... be willing to let go of items in my house that contribute to "clutter" rather than "Beauty/Purpose"

Thanks for being out there & happy giving today and for the weekend,

big hug--

L

[IslandGirl]

Such an awesome story! I hope you stick around, too! 

[Deb~ Community Manager]

Another great day under the belt. Hope you do another round, Laura. Good luck and have fun with your friend..

[Lois55 wwt]

I can picture the moment with the family....I am sure it put a spring in their step! Good  luck with the dental and enjoy your friend!