How's That Life of Impact Going?
Remember the beginning of the year, when I
challenged you all to do one new thing a month that impacts people
outside your household? If not, click
target="_blank">here to read the original post and get
caught up.
But if you do remember, and accepted my challenge, how’s it
going now that the righteous fervor of New Year’s resolutions
has worn off and we’re in the bleary month of February with
nary a vacation in sight for several months yet?
I’ll tell you, I’ve got huge, grand plans in the works
– always – but don’t seem to find time to get
everything orchestrated. I plot big, fun parties and elaborate play
dates in my head, yet can’t get that load of laundry folded.
So in the interest of keeping myself on track, I’m checking
in on this Life of Impact thing and hoping it’ll help you
stay motivated.
January I did some planning for our
actions in future months, but went low-key with our first choice,
mostly because of family illnesses and so on. We keep a couple bags
in the garage set aside for Salvation Army donations – those
clothes we’ve outgrown or knick-knacks we don’t like
any more, but know we shouldn’t toss in the landfill. As the
bags fill up over our everyday lives, we periodically make a run to
the store and drop off our donation. We clean out our house and get
a tax break. Yippee.
But this year I was poking around online, looking for new
outreaches in our community to support, and found out that our
local library has an ongoing book sale. They accept used book
donations, and offer them in the library foyer year-round for a
nominal sum – paperbacks fifty cents, say, and kids’
books a quarter. I’d been looking for a way to support
organizations that give back a lot to our family, and the girls
would be lost without regular library visits, so this looked ideal.
Digging out all the books we’d accrued for the Salvation Army
pile was relatively easy, and one morning not too long ago we drove
a couple boxes of books to the library.
Did it change the world? Not really. The books went from one
charity to another, that’s all. But it was a small way to
help a local library, which we’d be lost without. And it
reminded me that there are lots of places out there that can use
our small help every once in a while.
This month I’m organizing a shop and swap with all my
neighborhood mommies. There promises to be quite a turnout, and
I’m hoping to get some great clothes for my girls since
they’re both growing like weeds. But I’m also
organizing coffee and baked goods to have on hand, since I’m
hoping most of the moms will take a moment to sit down and chat and
catch up for a bit. Again, the clothes I’ll be contributing
would be going to a charity otherwise, but this way I get to see my
neighbors get use out of those adorable clothes the girls
can’t wear any more, and snag some new threads for my own two
at the same time. And more importantly, I can have a few minutes to
hang out with some girlfriends and renew friendships that never
seem to get the attention and nurturing they need –
we’re always running to a drop-off or ballet class or grocery
store. So I’ll let you know how it goes.
How are you doing with this challenge? I encourage you to give it a
try – you’re teaching your kids something wonderful,
and changing the world in your own small way.
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