The Spirit Of Generosity!
The Sunday after Thanksgiving was a day I clearly had one of THE MOST UNORIGINALthoughts..."I'm going to The Christmas Tree Shop to get lights for my tree."
Well, so did the rest of America.
I entered the madness, bee-lined straight to the light section, grabbed 2 small palm-sized boxes, then walked...and walked...and walked to search for the end of the line. I have never seen a line inside a store wrap around as many times as it did, and reach the back end of the store.
There was no express lane, so I stood on line like a champ, looking at the people in front of me with carts full of Santas, trees, ornaments, reindeer, and Frosty's, while simultaneously questioning my own sanity...wondering what I was doing there.
To my own surprise, that was revealed to me in a few short minutes.
The lady in front of me turned around, looked at my 2 boxes, and said, "oh you poor thing."
We laughed, struck up a conversation, and what do you know, the line started moving along. I felt my heart opening up to her and just beaming on her as she shared how hard things have been for her lately...especially financially.
When it was her turn to go to the register, she said "come with me! I have a coupon for you. I just have to put my basket and things down to get it." She was so insistent and excited about our shared love "for a good deal," that I found myself going along with it and following her to the register.
She took my boxes, handed them to the cashier, paid for my lights, and handed them to me as the cashier rung up the rest of her things.
"Here you go. Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful holiday season!!"
I was shocked, but lit up at the exact same time at this very unexpected "simple, not so simple gesture." I reached for my wallet to give her cash and she wouldn't take it. She said "I want to do things that make me feel good. And I really hope to go to heaven one day."
My response was "it seems to me that you are on the fast track, and well on your way. Bless you!!! You are an angel!! I hope you get to feel this feeling inside that I have right now, and that someone (or many people) do this for you."
I was so moved and blown away that she let her generosity lead when she was feeling and experiencing scarcity...with a stranger, no less!
This, to me, is what this season is about.
The spirit of generosity, leading from the heart, and doing the things that light you up, and make you feel good."
While there are so many stories of how terrible humanity is right now, and how many angry, awful, and toxic people there are, I felt it was incredibly important to share that there are also humans out there living from their heart, doing their best, and being infectious/contagious in a way that can only amplify every ounce of light and love within.
My intention is to pass the baton, and my prayer is that you get to be the recipient of generosity which is then shared in a healthy way (which does not compromise you, deplete you, or lead you to debt)!