“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”  ~ Maya Angelou

This is a great quote to begin the Christmas season (this is the beginning of Advent after all).

We are all so wrapped up in what’s going on around ourselves that we really ought to take time and step back to see what’s going on in other people’s lives. You might be surprised. You might also be able to make a significant difference in their lives.

People frequently don’t want others to know that they are going through difficulty or that hard times have befallen them. But, if you pay attention and if you know the person at all, you will be able to tell. It’s obvious in their demeanor and behavior. They don’t smile as often. They don’t stand as straight and tall as usual.  If it’s  coworker, maybe there’s a change in their reliability or promptness.

Take a good look around you. Being nice to someone is really very easy. And you don’t need to worry that maybe you’ve read them wrong – being nice is not predicated upon someone being bad off. It’s good to be nice to people no matter what!

The whole idea is to open your eyes and search your peripheral vision. Take off the blinders and look all around you as the Holidays approach. Give someone a dollar if they’re asking for it. Reach out. Pick a charity you want to support this holiday so that others may do some good. What can you give up (a cup of coffee or two perhaps) so that someone could have a meal. Don’t laugh. Often it doesn’t take much more to feed someone. Every penny, every dollar makes a difference.

When I was in New York in October (and then again in DC later that month) I became really interested in the homeless population. I could never fathom sleeping on the streets in the cold and wet, not knowing where my next meal was coming from, not knowing where to attend to private issues. It’s something we should NEVER allow to happen in our country. We give so much money and aid to other countries while we have desperate people lying right outside our city buildings in great need. Why does this happen? Why can’t we be a rainbow in their clouds.  I feel very drawn to this cause but am not sure how to make a significant difference. But, I digress sort of. Sorry.

Take this time to change your sight. Expand it and open up your life and the life of many others.

Terrie