2012 was all about making sure our family was set up financially. This year, I have a different path that I want to follow. Our family has been blessed beyond measure and this year I am going to try to pay things forward every day in small and bigger gestures. Not everything will cost money. There are millions of ways to make someone smile and not every one costs money.
I am going to be keeping this online journal so I can look back at the end of the year and see if I made an impact in my small community. People all over are hurting, wether it's money problems, illness, or even emotional problems. I am going to do my best to make people smile this year. Today is 1/4/2013, so I have 361 people to make happy or at least smile.
Why am I doing this? Because life is too short and I want to make sure that I make more people smile. I call it "My Wonderful Life" lessons after the movie "It's A Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart. My Mom was the type of person that if she knew someone needed something and we had it, it was theirs. I was raised on the philosophy of paying it forward long before a movie came out, so I've decided to do it not only to make things better for someone else, but to let my Mom know that everytime I made someone smile, I was remembering her. There is another reason why I am doing this....Last year, in early December, I was made aware of a FB page of a little boy who was battling cancer here in mid-Michigan. The community of Midland, Michgan was coming together to light up their houses early because time for little Jayden was running out. I was in tears when I was reading all the different prayers, seeing the pictures of everyones displays,and volunteering their time and resources to make Christmas a memoriable one for this precious angel here on Earth. My daughter asked me why I was crying and I composed myself and explained to her how this community had come together to help this amazing family have 1 last Christmas with their son. Hannah & I talked a lot about how blessed our family was and right then and there, we decided to make a goal for Christmas to pay it forward "Jayden style", and we did! We had a blast this past Christmas.
Our children are watching us and I want to be like my Mom who showed empathy & compassion to others. This is a trait I want to pass along to my kids in the hope that when they are growing up and seeing others in need, they will reach their hand out to someone and help them in their time of need.
This is an important life lesson and I hope to see their names in many, many blog posts through out the year. I decided this year, I am going to "Be the change I want to see in my world" and I hope I can blog about it regularly.
Take care,
Kathi
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