“Just think of [painting our living room] as another volunteering project.”

— My wife, Melissa

To many, giving time is only volunteering in the classic sense – working at a food bank, cleaning up a trail, picking up trash, or helping at a church potluck. But as my wife reminded me while painting yesterday, it’s much more than that.

Giving time here …

Giving time is anytime spent in the service of others.

Giving time is the time spent helping with intent not obligation. 

Giving time is the desire to see another person succeed.

Giving time is listening to someone else’s needs.

Giving time is the recognition that your own problems can wait a few minutes or an hour.

… is giving time here.
Giving time is more than volunteering.

Giving time is acknowledging that strangers aren’t labels.

Giving time is a path to teaching ourselves to see the good in other people.

Giving time is setting aside your immediate  feelings and helping anyway.

Giving time can be as simple as doing one extra good thing with intention for someone who didn’t expect it, everyday.

Giving time is self-improvement without the self.

In my modest opinion, giving a little time with a positive attitude everyday can change your life.

Yesterday’s gift of time … Helped my wife continue our remodel by painting our living room with *very* vaulted ceilings. … Took the kids to the pumpkin patch and helped my girls carry their pumpkins back to the van – even if they were the biggest pumpkins in the field.