29 Gifts ... well, actually 35 Gifts!
Dec. 30th, 2009 11:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeshyrDearest Friends,
I just read my monthly Wildmind newsletter and one of the things mentioned was a book review of "29 Gifts" by Cami Walker which I have just read (the review, not the book).
The blog entry and embedded video just bowled me over. The basic idea is she gave 29 gifts in 29 days. The gifts were simple things like giving a tissue to an upset friend, or some pocket change to a beggar. The mindset change of the giver is the thing which really mattered.
I immediately thought that it would be the most fantastic way to start 2010 on a positive mental note - by giving gifts all through January. It's 11:30pm on the 30th of December as I write this, and "twenty ten" (2010) still sounds very much like the future to me. I know that historically it's 2011 that's the start of a new decade but it's 2010 that hits me psychologically. I think it'd be wonderful to start it by doing something special.
While writing a response to the blog post, I realised that the end of January is very close to my birthday; which is on the 3rd of February. Why not give a gift every day until my birthday? I was thinking this is a bit more than 29 gifts so I counted up the days. One more day of December plus 31 days of January plus 3 days of February is 35 days. Thirty five is the age I'm turning on that day. I'm not superstitious about numbers in the conventional sense[*], but I like it when things add up like that :)
I have been having a bit of personal angst about my birthday. Nothing major, just realising that 35 is half way to 70 and I haven't really accomplished much in the way of standard life goals and I feel weird about that. (Yes, I know I've accomplished heaps and I have perfectly good reasons for not having got married/bought a house/had a good job, but that doesn't change the feeling much).
So this is what I'll do. From 31 December until my birthday on the 3rd of February my goal will be to give a gift each day. It's not the standard 29 days that seems to have sparked an international "29 gifts" movement but I think it's what is most right for me. It also melds well with doing random acts of kindness, which is something my parents instilled in my from an early age.
So here's my public declaration of intent. I'm hoping to be able to post each day at least a sentence or two about what I gave, I'll make it a priority. If you notice I've missed a few days, you have my permission to poke me!
See you tomorrow :)
Cheers,
Ricky
[*] Note on superstition: I'm not superstitious about numbers in the conventional sense of believing numbers have intrinsic power that's external to me. I know, however, that certain numbers have psychological meaning to me and that makes them "powerful" in a personal way.
I just read my monthly Wildmind newsletter and one of the things mentioned was a book review of "29 Gifts" by Cami Walker which I have just read (the review, not the book).
The blog entry and embedded video just bowled me over. The basic idea is she gave 29 gifts in 29 days. The gifts were simple things like giving a tissue to an upset friend, or some pocket change to a beggar. The mindset change of the giver is the thing which really mattered.
I immediately thought that it would be the most fantastic way to start 2010 on a positive mental note - by giving gifts all through January. It's 11:30pm on the 30th of December as I write this, and "twenty ten" (2010) still sounds very much like the future to me. I know that historically it's 2011 that's the start of a new decade but it's 2010 that hits me psychologically. I think it'd be wonderful to start it by doing something special.
While writing a response to the blog post, I realised that the end of January is very close to my birthday; which is on the 3rd of February. Why not give a gift every day until my birthday? I was thinking this is a bit more than 29 gifts so I counted up the days. One more day of December plus 31 days of January plus 3 days of February is 35 days. Thirty five is the age I'm turning on that day. I'm not superstitious about numbers in the conventional sense[*], but I like it when things add up like that :)
I have been having a bit of personal angst about my birthday. Nothing major, just realising that 35 is half way to 70 and I haven't really accomplished much in the way of standard life goals and I feel weird about that. (Yes, I know I've accomplished heaps and I have perfectly good reasons for not having got married/bought a house/had a good job, but that doesn't change the feeling much).
So this is what I'll do. From 31 December until my birthday on the 3rd of February my goal will be to give a gift each day. It's not the standard 29 days that seems to have sparked an international "29 gifts" movement but I think it's what is most right for me. It also melds well with doing random acts of kindness, which is something my parents instilled in my from an early age.
So here's my public declaration of intent. I'm hoping to be able to post each day at least a sentence or two about what I gave, I'll make it a priority. If you notice I've missed a few days, you have my permission to poke me!
See you tomorrow :)
Cheers,
Ricky
[*] Note on superstition: I'm not superstitious about numbers in the conventional sense of believing numbers have intrinsic power that's external to me. I know, however, that certain numbers have psychological meaning to me and that makes them "powerful" in a personal way.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-30 05:36 pm (UTC)And this gift thing sounds pretty cool. Looking forward to hearing about that.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 11:57 am (UTC)*hugs*
r
RAK + old-age :-)
Date: 2009-12-30 07:55 pm (UTC)- recently it has been 'day passes' - I get back to the bus station after being out and I look for someone about my age and then give them the not-expired pass that will give them a free trip home! Or for that matter if they wanted to they could trip about up until middnight that day/evening!
- I must admit that when I was in my 40s I was locked into ill-health and never imagined I would ever get off the treadmill or out of the bloody maze but here I am at less than 18mths shy of reaching decade '6' as my friend pointed out a couple of days ago I have aroundabout 6 yrs until I can collect my SuperGoldCard! (which you get mid-6-decade)
-oops forgot to say what happened with my 'imagination problems' - I got my life semi-back :-)
Re: RAK + old-age :-)
Date: 2009-12-31 11:58 am (UTC)The fact you've got out of this maze - at least to an extent - gives me much inspiration and hope. Keep up the good work! :)
Love & Hugs,
r
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 04:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 11:58 am (UTC)Love always,
r
PS
*****HUGS****
no subject
Date: 2010-01-01 04:02 am (UTC)Love the 29 + 7 gifts idea
Date: 2009-12-31 06:07 pm (UTC)I just blogged about this post on my Tumblr blog at http://kmdk.tumblr.com/post/309780114/do-good. Then I tweeted about it. I wanted to spread the word about this lovely idea.
Some things I have done: If I am buying a lot of items at the supermarket and I see the person behind me has only 1 or 2 items, I suggest they go in front of me. It garners many smiles and that "warm fuzzy" feeling. It's so easy to do.
Giving up a seat in a crowded bus or train to someone who looks tired is also a good one. It's a habit that many have forgotten, but it is alive out there and I do my best to fan the flames.
I checked out the About page on that international 29 Gifts site. I like the advice about not giving up, and how a simple phone call to say hi or even an email counts in a big way.
Happy New Year and thank you for this inspiration!
regards, Karen
Re: Love the 29 + 7 gifts idea
Date: 2010-01-01 03:56 am (UTC)r
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-01 03:55 am (UTC)r