Week 3: Share Your Talent



Ceramics Class



Last week we set out to share material goods. This week, let's think about the more intangible things we could share. What if we taught others how to do the things we love? Remember when you presented someone with that lovely knitted hat and they commented how much they would love to knit? Well, why don't you teach them? Or maybe you make jewelry, or candles, or soap. Do you have the most beautiful garden in town? Show your neighbors your secrets!

Sharing our talents does not diminish what we do. It does, in fact, magnify what we do. With only a few minutes of your time you could pass on a valuable skill or a hobby that will give hours of enjoyment to a friend. And, everyone has something they are good at. I hear a couple of you saying there is nothing you're good at that someone would want to learn, but I bet if you thought for a minute you would realize that's not true. Even a skill that seems mundane to you might be exciting to someone else.

Teaching My Little Dude some Cooking

Put yourself out there, you'll be doing someone a service and I just bet that you'll end up feeling pretty darn good about about yourself, too.

Week 2: Make Extra and Share

The tip for week two seemed especially appropriate this time of year. We are coming into a period of time where multiple religious and secular holidays converge, along with all of the things that go with holidays and celebrations. Many of these celebrations include food. Some include the giving of gifts. In both cases, some of us go overboard (I'm looking at you cookie bakers everywhere!).  Instead of lamenting how much of what you baked, cooked, canned, pickled, etc is going to go to waste (or to "waist" if you, like me, try to eat it all yourself) why not share it. You could take week one's "get to know your neighbor" campaign to the next level with a box of your special cookies. You could deliver some goodies to a school, office or shelter. No matter where you decide to share the fruits of your labor, they will be appreciated!

Now, I hear some of you telling me that you don't bake, cook, can, pickle...I get it, no problem. Do you knit, crochet or sew? Check with local shelters and schools. They are often looking for scarves, mittens and hats this time of year for folks that need them. Do you do other crafts? Donate some to a school's or church's craft fair. They'll be happy for the extras to use as raffle prizes or gifts for their workers. Do you love scrapbooking? Use some of your scraps to make bookmarks and donate them to your local library for their patrons. The possibilities are really endless.

The holidays are often thought of as a time of excess, but with a little creativity and a bit of community-building spirit, the holidays can be a time when EVERYONE has just exactly as much as they need.