It’s been a hectic few weeks for Brooke and me.  She and I both faced finals at school and I had two projects to round out the semester.  It’s been a long and challenging fall.  We’re getting ready to pack it up and head out to Puerto Vallarta this Friday which couldn’t come at a better time.  In challenging economic times it’s easy to get caught up in just trying to stay caught up.  There is news of layoffs, bailouts, and foreclosures everywhere.  It’s hard to just stay sane let alone enjoy the company of loved ones and appreciate all that we do have.But it’s easier yet to forget that there are people out there who are having a much worse time than others.

I was reading an article in the Denver Post about families who have fallen on hard times and are living in some of the seedy motels in the Denver area complete with cockroaches and crack heads.  These are people who are some of the most vulnerable people during such challenging economic times.  People who are good, working class people but living paycheck to paycheck.  When they were laid off from their jobs they couldn’t make rent; living in a dingy motel is all they can do to avoid being completely homeless.  These are proud people forced to swallow that pride in an effort to save their families.

While we’ll be sipping cocktails on the beaches of Mexico there are people who will have to decide whether to buy food or pay rent.  They don’t need charity, they need a helping hand.  They need other good people to offer them a job when no one is hiring, they need a few hand-me-down clothes to make sure their children are warm on the walk to school. People saw this story and donations came flooding in.  Their phone was ringing every ten minutes with people trying to help.  But what struck me most was the woman who was dealing with her own financial issues still found the will and the means to give to someone in a worse situation.  That’s an amazing act of selfless humanity, and they’re happening everywhere and everyday.

Winston Churchill once said “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”  We need to define ourselves not by what we make but why what we give.  We could certainly give money, food, or clothes to those who need a helping hand.  These are vitally important to helping the community care for our most vulnerable members.  But there’s more, we need to be more involved in our communities and making them a better place for our children.  Kahlil Gibran said “You give but little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”  It easy to buy a few cans of soup and donate, but giving up your time takes real commitment.

Brooke mentioned the idea of volunteering at the local Children’s Hospital in Denver.  I thought we’re too busy, when could we volunteer?  And moreover, what can I do for the hospital?  We’re not doctors or nurses.  But there has to be something.  So this new year you’ll make a resolution to exercise more, eat better, or even stop smoking.  These are all very good causes but their inherently your own cause.  Sure being healthier will result in more years with your spouse or your kids which is an amazing gift.  Do those things but all dig deeper, look inwards and give what your cannot buy.  It never goes on sale but it also doesn’t cost a dime.  Give yourself to better the world.  Practice random acts of kindness and make your neighborhood a better place.

It could be as simple as spending more time than ever thought you could bear to stand with a friend who’s unemployed and not finding a job.  Who’s scared he might lose his house but is too proud to admit it.  Invite them over for dinner and games to help take their minds off of reality even if it’s just for the night.  It could also mean volunteering for a good cause like Habitat for Humanity, the Children’s Hospital, or spending an Saturday at a retirement home playing bridge with old ladies.  I want to challenge everyone and especially myself to give more this new year.  Not only give more, but give in ways you’ve never given before.  Don’t just give around the holidays, poverty doesn’t bother to check the calendar. You can make the world a little better than it was when you found; a little better for the next generation.  Define yourself not by what you make, but by what you give.