My Theme for this Year: Gratitude and Giving

For many, the start of Labor day is the beginning of a new year.  The year begins when the school year fully kicks off with activities, events, and all sorts of fun.  Families that have children inevitably follow that schedule as well.  It is also the time of the year best suited for making changes and setting radical goals that will make for a meaningful year.I have been thinking about what I want my theme to be this year, and I've decided on "Gratitude" and "Giving."  The two goes hand in hand.  Giving is the natural response to gratitude because gratitude without action is meaningless. No matter what situation I'm in, whether good or bad, I'm making it a personal goal to never stop giving or be ungrateful.  As I go throughout this year, I'll be sharing more about my methods in photography because I believe that giving knowledge is one of the most important gifts. I am also making it a goal to partner with charities and using my photography to help causes I believe in. In all these things, I would also like it very much if you would join with me to make the world a better place.Maybe some of you right now don't live in abundance and think that you're not in a place to give.

Let me tell you this story to encourage you.  This is a true story, I promise.

==========================Parable of Two Grandmothers==========================

Once upon a time, there were two farming women, both around the same age, both had below-average incomes, and almost an equal number of children.   One of them was always telling others how little she had, how much she has to save, and lived all her life being frugal.  She raised her son and daughters the same way.

The other rarely ever talked about money, but when asked, would say she had plenty.   She raised her sons and daughters to spend not frugally, but wisely.  She was also generous. Giving away fruits and vegetables to neighbors whenever the harvest was plenty.

Many years later, when the children were all grown up and the two women retired, their stories were very different.  The first had little to live on and received almost no help from her children.  She taught them to be frugal and stingy with their giving.  Therefore, they were stingy with her.  The second lady lived comfortably with one of her daughter's, and the rest of the family provided for all her needs in her old age.   Because she taught her children to be generous, they were generous with her.

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So you see?  Our habits in giving have serious repercussions, not just in our own generation, but the generations after us.

Giving financially is not the only way to give. More than anything, people need our time, presence, and belief in them.

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What is your theme this year? Blog about it, write about it, and comment below. Make it a public declaration so you're more likely to follow through. Let us encourage one another in our goals.