After reading Hopsy's latest blog entry, my heart has just felt so full and grateful.
Yes, "tis the season to be jolly" - but isn't it also the season to GIVE and LOVE? Hopsy really showed her good colors as she thought about others this weekend and even spent some extra money on Toys for Tots. I am so happy to have friends in the blogging world like this Lady. People are in need right now, genuine need.
On Thursday, over 20,000 Americans lost their jobs. 21 days before Christmas (and other respective holidays, of course). Can you imagine? It made me almost physically sick. And that wouldn't even include the small firms that don't get picked up by Bloomburg and CNN. Ugh.
And so this happened on Thursday and then on Friday I went to the Red Door Spa. Yes, it was an early Christmas gift from Michael, and it was lovely. Massage and Manicure. It was a big gift of LOVE from my LOVE, and I walked out feeling better than I had in months. I had been to the doctor what - 4 times in the past 6 weeks. And been in the hospital, too? Of course I needed it.
So this is what I decided...

1. Take more time for myself. Instead of drinking too much wine and booze. Buying lots of shoes I DO NOT need, and eating sushi from Teeter like 2x-3x a week some months for lunch... do better things. Drink more water. Get a massage - it's good for the body and the soul and can get toxins out of your system. Exercise as regularly as I should - doctors say that will make a good bit of difference on my chest problems. Don't bring work home with me, whether it be literal work, or if it is negative thoughts about my day at work.

2. Take more time for others. See what the local churches do for charities. I am still a member of the church I grew up at in Lexington - because it is the most important place to me - but that doesn't mean I can't go more frequently to other places closer by and HELP. Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, etc etc. I am sure there is something more I could do on my weekends besides cook for Michael and I, and study for school. I do meditate, but I want to do something more hands-on if possible.

3. Give more for others. I've already made some donations -monetarily- to token charities - one of my Chatham Hall classmates participated in the St. Jude Memphis Half-Marathon over the weekend - so I gave to that for her, because that is such an amazing thing to do... I do donate to my alma maters - Chatham Hall, Camp Seafarer, and Randolph-Macon College --- and to organizations I think truely make a difference while sharing my personal beliefs - Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation... but I am sure there is more to the big picture that I just haven't come across yet.

These are my new years resolutions. Thank you Hopsy for inspiring me!!