Brother can you spare a dime? No, how about some time?

Times are tough. For almost all of us. The paycheck seems to be gone after 13 days and the next two days are buttered noodles and jam sandwiches. One big problem and we are back to broke. It will surely get better and it's been a lot worse but during the holidays there seems to be more pressure. Presents to buy. Parties to go to. Work gets busier for some of us. And now you get a phone call asking you to help out this charity or that. Seriously. We don't have any extra money. We have kids and cars and mortgages. We'd love to, but money is just too tight and maybe if you could call next year we could help. If there was anything else we could do?

There is. Volunteer. Every single charity out there needs some help. Yes, money is great. It is critical to get the donations to fund our charities. But it is only part of it. They all need people. And we are people. It doesn't cost more than gas and time to help. Most of us are so quick to talk about how tough things are until we see people who really have it bad. It's about perspective. Go and give your time. Find a charity and just call and ask what you can do to help. They will have a need for you. And then the true miracle occurs. You change.

I know of what I speak here. I have given money and time. At the end of the day the feeling you have after volunteering is nothing short of miraculous. Your problems become so very small. Again, it's perspective. This doesn't mean we don't have problems but helping someone with theirs makes ours seem manageable. And this miracle feeds itself. Once you volunteer it's amazing how many people want to join you. But someone has to take the lead. Is it you? Can you imagine what the world would look like if everyone get one day to help a charity? Just one day a year. If you can't do a day, send a check. If you can, do both.

So here is the challenge. Volunteer one day before Christmas. Who is with me?



Till next......