The Gift of a Story

I spent the last three days learning to make a digital story. I was given the gift of new skills. I was able to invite 10 other people to participate ( all who felt they were given a gift.)

I told my first story as a gift but the story I told was really a gift from my son Nate. One of the participants bought me a framed piece of art that said " Your Story Begins at Home." She said "I saw it and had to get it for you." Another participant wrote a thank you to me in the credits of her digital story.

So many gifts......

16 out of 29

I'm at day 16 out of my 29 days of giving ( boy am I glad I started on Dec 1)

Ben and I gave Christmas cookies to his French Horn teacher.  But I'm learning that spontaneous gifts are often the ones that make me smile. Like saying thank you to the woman who bagged my groceries ( she seemed surprised).

And the other day, I walked past the Salvation Army bell ringer...I wasn't sure how much cash I had and knew I might need to pay Ben's teacher.  After I bought my groceries I went back and emptied all my change into the red bucket. " You came back...thank you so much"  It wasn't the amount of money that mattered..it was that I came back.
Photo credit: flickr julep67/2139776806/

A gift of tea

We hosted what will probably be our last teacher tea yesterday. This is really a gift for us. We invite our kid's teachers to our home for tea. It started as a way to use our fancy tea set (thank you Grandpa Swanson) and became a tradition. But now that both boys are in middle school, I thought we were done. BUT, Ben got the teacher Nate had in 6th grade and she asked me "Do you still do Teacher Tea?" So we did!

My other gift yesterday was driving slowly and carefully. I drove to yoga and the minute I was on the rode felt myself get tense. People were driving fast and the roads were awful and I started to get mad at people who were trying to pass on the right hand side. I decided "Time for gift" and told myself, "I'm not in a rush. I'm going to slow down, be careful and try to give other drivers the room they need." So instead of getting mad at the driver trying to pass on the right, I slowed down to make it easier for him to get around. I got to my destination a little later and a lot calmer.

I'm not slacking

Wed: Snow Day Special Breakfast for my family ( bagel sammies just like a restaurant)

Sarah got a a two day special ( because she is leaving)
Monday I treated her to chai and a sweet treat
Tuesday we gave her a "Going Away/ Transition to a New Job" bag of goodies.

And finally: on Sunday, I had some work to do so I treated myself to coffee...and while I was at Coffee Bytes, I tipped my barista. (and I had to take a photo of the tip jar..which looks weird so I ended up telling the barista about the blog and the giving challenge)

I love snow days

12-26-2007-172
Originally uploaded by wiconservation

When I was a kid, a snow day was one of the best presents, ever. I still feel that way!

If you are home today..(.and in a place where there is snow..we have extra in Madison if you need some) WI League of Conservation Voters is challenging us to create snow people with signs that say

WI Snow People United Against Global Warming

Find inspiration here

Send your photo to info@conservationvoters.org

If you are in Wisconsin, pass this message to others.

I win again

I won another award. :)

This award is from my Mom who emailed me to say
"Sometimes I just want to give YOU a gift because YOU are a gift."

I love Moms ( in general and mine especially!)

Thank you Mom!

Award: From Ginny

The Gifts Keep Piling Up

Things I've given:

• A presentation to WI Donate Life
• Fixed a "First Snow Breakfast" for my kids ( this is an annual tradition where we eat an all white meal in honor of the first snow fall)

And I gave something to Erica ( a friend at church, one of my favorite people)..I don't know what...

Erica said " I just have to say thank you."  But when I asked for what..she didin't have a specfic answer.

 So I said thank you right back to Erica "What ever it was, you're welcome. You just helped me out because I was just thinking " What did I give today?""

My friend Pamela took me to a soul rocking Christmas concert ( Madison Symphony). It was a beautiful gift...and I told Pamela that.   Pamela is gracious about both giving and receiving...she said "I'm so glad you enjoyed it."  As I become more conscious of when I am giving a gift...I am also realizing how many gifts I am being given each day.

For instance, at church when my kids left for class and I found myself sitting alone...Susan waved me up by her...and then gave me a big hug. As if I had been gone on a long trip and she was so glad to see me again.  Is that a good gift or what?

Photo Credit :Flickr katy/6364985

Humbled by a Gift

 I was driving back from a training with two co-workers yesterday when I remembered " I didn't give a gift."

Sarah ( my co-worker who is leaving to take new job)
"I'm giving you a gift."

My honest to God response ( which I am embarrassed to write) "No! I'm doing this challenge...and I have to give something away each day" (ouch!)

One of the things the 29 Day Challenge reminds you of...is to be open to receiving. How can we give, if we can't receive? And receiving a gift graciously is, in itself, gift.

So my gifts yesterday were: a reminder of how to accept gifts, a beautiful handmade mosaic ( which I tried to capture on film...and after 10 photos know I have not done it justice) and, last and most importantly, a reminder of how precious friendships are.

A couple of years ago, I was at a meeting and they had us make a list of what we liked about our work. Sarah's name was at the top of my list. Sarah is leaving next week for an exciting new job.

What a joy it has been for the past five years to work with someone who is smart, dependable, creative, does more than her fair share (always!) and funny ( we laugh a lot at work). We will regroup at our work...you can't have beginnings without endings. And Sarah and I are already scheming about ways to partner between our two organizations...so maybe it isn't an ending after all.

Almost Didn't Make it On My First Day

DSP 147: Thank You! 2007-10-11
Originally uploaded by vernhart

So the "rules" for the giving challenge are pretty flexible.  Give "something" away each day. It can be a physical gift..but can also be a smile, a hug, etc.   You would think that would make it easier, right?  Didn't work that way for me.  I spent the day asking myself "Was that a gift?"
Because I was thinking about how I might give a gift to my kids, I was very calm when Ben managed to spill the entire container of sugar on the kitchen floor ( even though he as successfully gotten cereal out of that cupboard for the past five years.)  I said " Wow, you did something different this time.  Try not to do it again.."  Is that a gift?

I said a heart felt thank you to the bus driver ( both times).  I helped plan and pay for a going away lunch for a much loved (soon to be former) colleague.  Neither felt like they were "it."

I was still thinking about giving during yoga class..which I love.  So I didn't decide on my gift until 7pm on my first day. I realized I had never told my yoga teacher how much I enjoy her class.  I love that I can walk to it. That it brings together people from my neighborhood. And how good it makes me feel. I look forward to it each week.  I made a point of staying after class to tell her.  It felt good! It felt like a gift!