Many may remember the slogan "Reach Out and Touch Someone" from a telephone advertisement. Considering how our world is functioning, this may be a good time to take the advice to heart.
It doesn't necessarily mean call someone, but the concept does suggest that we do something outside of ourselves that could positively benefit another human being.
While we:
-- hear about troops going to the Middle East
-- read about and see homeless people
-- know many people afflicted with disease
-- know people who have lost their jobs
-- know of families that are barely making ends meet, etc.
What is allowing many of us to be so complacent?
Over the years, I've often read about gratitude journals and thought about it as a 'nice' concept but not something that resonated with me.
Recently at a lecture, I heard Positive Psychology, Harvard professor Tal Ben-Shahar talk about his gratitude ritual that he does with every member of his family. At the end of every day, each person has to share 5 things they are grateful for. What resonated for me was the joy with which he described the process and the obvious love that was shared among the family members.
Accordingly, I thought I would give it a try and see if it makes any difference. Each day (either before sleeping or when I wake up) I literally say out loud 5 things that I'm grateful for. Sometimes they are simple things that I normally take for granted such as my comforter, water, or heat in the winter. Sometimes they are the trees outside of my window, specific friends or conversations, or my children. I've noticed that I'm feeling distinctly happier when my list is complete. I feel a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that I have so many good things in my life.
So what about those people who do have good things but also have a great deal of pain, loss, and suffering. How can we reach out and make a difference? While many people wait until the end of the year to make donations because of tax write-offs, what about donating clothing and other items at any point during the year? What about volunteering some time at a soup kitchen? What about looking for local charity organizations in your area and finding out how you can best help them? What about something as simple as calling someone or sending a note?
What would it be like to reflect and think about those that are less fortunate? We know there are people everywhere who are struggling. By reaching out, we can find one more thing to be grateful for - the joy of giving to another human being.
Here's a related story.
The Sower's Seeds by Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R.
“There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, “What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?”
Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said, “Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life.” The woman went right off in search of that magical mustard seed.
She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, “I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me.”
They told her, “You've certainly come to the wrong place,” and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them.
The woman said to herself, “Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my my own?” She stayed to comfort them, then went on in search of a home that had never known sorrow.
But wherever she turned, in hovels and in other places, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life.”
INVITATION TO EXPERIMENT
--What are the things that you are grateful for?
--What can you do to reach out and ‘touch someone’ who is less fortunate?
If you feel inclined, please let me know if you decide to go ahead and try this experiment. I anxiously await hearing about your experiences. Your feedback and comments have been most welcomed:-) Keep them coming!!
Very best regards,
marion@lifecoachinggroup.com
(c) 2004-09. All rights reserved. Marion Franklin, www.lifecoachinggroup.com
Comments? Feedback? lllfeedback@lifecoachinggroup.com
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