Giving makes me feel good. Sharing love with my family, a smile with a child, a writing tip with an author, walks with my dog - there are so many ways I can give to others and feel good about it.
Receiving also makes me feel good, but for some reason it's harder for me to accept from others than to give to them.
Why I'm writing about this today is because it's the end of the year. The DH and I didn't make as much money in 2009 as in prior years. Still, there are many less fortunate than us. Also, there are tons of worthy causes in need of support, especially with our sagging economy.
For the next day or so, I'll be making out checks to my favorite charities. This is a practice I perform every year after Christmas. It's a way to give back a portion of what I've received during the year. Some of my favorite charities are: Little City, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, National Federation of the Blind, American Lung Association, Alzheimer's Disease Research, Catholic Relief, American Red Cross. There are more, but I don't want to bore you with my entire list.
I'll get a tax break in return for sharing, but much more than that will be the feeling that I've helped in some way to make this world a better place.
What about you? Do you enjoy giving to charities?
