Giving Thanks for Those Who Generously Donate Their Time in Helping Others
Generosity Abounds Across America, Especially During the Holiday Season
Time is on my mind today, since Daylight Saving Time changes tomorrow, November 6th for most of the United States and Canada. We Americans faithfully set our clocks back at this time of the year while at the same time we gear up for another tradition, the annual outpouring of a humongous amount of time that is donated in order to help those less fortunate have a better Thanksgiving Day and a celebration of the Christmas season.
Giving the gift of time in order to benefit others is part of what has always made America great - we cherish it year-round but perhaps especially so during the holidays when spirits are so very tender and helping hands are so greatly appreciated.
Even as I write this, willing workers are preparing to assemble and deliver food boxes to the needy and serve Thanksgiving Day dinners in agencies all across America. Countless people give up their own holidays in order to prepare and dish up food for people who would otherwise go without a hot meal on Thanksgiving Day and on Christmas. To those workers, I am giving thanks.
Shopping is also taking place for such items as clothing and socks, and for shoeboxes filled with necessities and fun surprises. Teams of volunteers willingly see that those items get to as many people as it is humanly possible to reach. To those volunteers, I am giving thanks.
Individuals continually give gifts of time, both on their own and through churches and large charity organizations. They deliver meals on wheels, visit nursing or rehabilitation homes and hospitals to cheer up those who cannot be in their own homes over the holidays, sing in choirs or play in bands and orchestras, perform in plays, send food and gifts to those in the military, work on food drives, etc. and etc. These generous people are indeed the backbone of America, and to these people I am giving thanks.
I have been thinking of late of all of the media time that is currently being devoted to the few thousands of individuals who are protesting in cities in America, and of how little media time is spent on the reporting of the positive and generous gifting of time, energy and money by millions of individuals that takes place every single day of the year.
Daylight Saving Time may change tomorrow, but thankfully the generous donations made by millions of Americans of their time and resources to others will not change. There will always be the shopping, driving, packing of boxes, visiting of the sick and elderly and the outpouring of caring in almost unlimited ways for those that are less fortunate. For that I am giving my heartfelt thanks.
Source: Personal opinion; sources embedded in the article
Published by R.C. Johnson
Find me at my R.C.s Twin Cities Beat, (http://rcjohnsonwriter.com) or on Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/rcjwriter/) or by clicking on the links under Affiliations. I am fortunate to have enjoyed profession... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentI wish the media would highlight more positive stories too, especially around the holidays. There are so many that give hundreds of hours of their time to help those in need. Nice article, Ruth!
very important article
I give thanks for you and your wonderful reminders that we should give thanks in all things... hard to do sometimes, when the "chips are down." A wonderful article, thanks (again!)
Len and I volunteer every Thursday.
Oh, and I am thankful to work beside someone as caring as you! :)
It takes only time to volunteer in any way! People are needed any time of year, but especially so at this time! Such a nice article! Blessings to you! :)
Volunteering is a wonderful gift we give ourselves! Thanks for honoring the many volunteers!
Some of the people who donate time and money give thanks for you, R.C. You are one who inspires and many of up appreciate that.
Nice work, Ruth. We all have to jump in and help everyone or we'll all go down alone.
Nicely written - yes, there are shoeboxes to pack, meals to deliver, the harvest is ripe - the workers too few, cheers ;)