Day 5, 6, 7 and 8 -- There is something to this

So after almost forgetting to give one of my days and not wanting to start over, I realize I must consciously wake up in the morning asking myself who and what can I give today. The thought that this would start my day excites me as it also allows me to think of what can I be grateful for... I am a fan of the movie the Secret and in fact watched it at least 2-3 times over the New Year weekend. Being grateful is a way to be in a state of unboundless happiness energy that attracts only good. Okay this act of giving every day seems all connected.

Day 5 - my gift of food
It is Wednesday and I chose some fresh vegetarian lo mein for my work meal. It is so delicious and fresh. I ask my co-worker if she would like to have half my food. It is my gift for today and she was surprised at my offer and said, of course! I have heard her say that sometimes she did not know how to pay all her bills and still feed herself. I got a container and put in it half my fresh lo mein. There was a part of me that said, wow, I could eat all of this lo mein. And then I knew this was the perfect gift as I was forced to let go of the scarcity belief that was right there for me to see. What is so amazing is that evening someone gave a gift to me. I was given a pack of mechanical pencils and an extra battery for my blackberry. Was this a coincidence?

Day 6 - Where is Cary?
I do volunteer work at a community center. It is just temporary work as I look for full-time employment. I know on Thursday I see Cary as she also volunteers at the center. Cary is a woman who struggles with MS and I have known her for almost two years. Reading Cami's book has made me notice Cary with new eyes as each time I see her there is a little less mobility in her walk and speech. The last time I saw Cary I told her about the writer of the book. Cary asks me to bring the author and name of the book next week. I made a promise to her that I would. Today as I got ready for my day I thought my 6th gift would be to surprise Cary with a gift of the book, 29 gifts in 29 days. Yet, I had no time to get to the bookstore before getting to work. So it took only a few seconds of further consideration to grab my own copy although it was the one I had received as a gift. I did not want Carey to wait another day for this gift.

Later that day as I thought about my gift, I asked my co-worker if Cary was coming in to the center today. No, my co-worker says. Cary is sick today. I was disappointed and concerned as I now had a better understanding of the challenges of MS. I later chose to give a mechanical pencil from those given to me to Moosey, a jolly man I gave a few dollars to a few weeks back. He came by to say he was ready to repay me. I told him that was no need to repay and there was a pleasure in saying it was my gift to him. In fact, I said, here is another gift. I gaive him a mechanical pencil. Moosey asked, amazingly, can he give me a gift and pulled a crisp $10 bill from his wallet. I was surprised at the generosity. Did it really work this way? I did not hesitate and thanked him. I also gave another mechanical pencil away to another young woman I was talking to later and I felt an excitement in my belly.


Day 7 -- my gift of her favorite thing

I did not go to my yoga class and instead stopped at the bookstore to get the book for Cary. I also picked up a few other things that I could give away. I just want to have things in my car that as I thought about it I could give away. I am more committed to the next 23 days then ever. I thought about the money I was spending to do this at a time where I was not working full-time and I needed my income that I did have to last a while. What am I thinking? I thought about what Cami wrote and the way the universe works. The law of giving and receiving and everytime I give something away I create a space so that I can receive. It is not that I expect to receive. It is just the universe works this way and it will just happen. I do secretly hope a wonderful job that allows me to earn a comfortable living, offers me health insurance, and allows me to be local to Atlanta was heading my way.

In the store I picked up a book on cats, a beautiful key chain that says "delight" and a beautiful pouch. I knew immediately who I was giving the pouch to...one of my best friends, angie, who had just recently lost her designer pouch to a thief in a store over the holiday season. I remember how violated Ang felt at the loss of property even though there was not much in way of valuables lost as a result. In no way what I bought for her was a designer pouch yet I felt it represented something that says what is taken from us can be given back to us by the universe in seconds. I almost think this is true even with people--a loss of a good friend and someone else comes in to our life not as a replacement. More as an opportunity to receive.

When I was with Angie later that night I took the pouch out and just held it. Ang immediately noticed it as I knew she likes pouches like this and her first comment was, "wow, how beautiful." And it was a beautiful, paisley pouch that could hold all sorts of stuff, which I knew she loves to carry in her big bag. I just look at her and say its yours. It is my 6th gift to you. She just lights up and grabs it and immediately tosses it in her big bag along with her many other litttle pouches in her bag. Her eyes said thank you and she says I am going to start reading that book, 29 gifts, soon. I just smile as I am happy with my 7th gift.

Day 8 -- a laughing lion for a little girl

Tonight I hurry home as it is Saturday and I have promised to sit for my friends little girl, Marvelous. And Marvelous is just that and we played together for hours. My home, as an artist home, is full of creative things that a 3 year old would love. I tell Marvelous she can choose any thing as a gift I wish her to have. Marvelous lights up as 3 year olds do and says to me, I also wish to give you a gift. I smile and say good. Not having children of my own, I am just amazed at how teachable children are and how they are curious about everything. Marvelous first chooses some play dough in the color blue, her favorite. The play dough is sticky and I am thinking it is probably not something her parents want her to have. And then she picks up my stuffed animal, a heart shaped lion, that when you press the paw laughs and laughs and laughs. It is the cutist thing and I somehow in all my clutter have not been able to give my lion away. It was actually a gift from a client who I worked with a year ago and who liked working with me. I let Marvelous take home the laughing lion and I know the lion will be loved. My 8th gift and my first week of giving is now complete