Share Your Love of Literature: Each One, Teach One

Spread around a love of literature, books and writing! Many children, and even adults, struggle when it comes to reading. 

Look into volunteering for adult literacy classes or reading to the elderly at a retirement home. www.proliteracy.org has an amazing legacy:

Laubach Literacy International's history begins in 1930, when Dr. Frank C. Laubach was a missionary among the Maranao people of the Philippines. His concern about their poor living conditions led him to conclude that the ability to read and write was essential for them to begin to solve their problems. As the Maranaos learned to read, they would, in turn, teach other adults on a one-to-one basis that became known as "Each One, Teach One." From 1935 to 1967, Dr. Laubach visited 105 countries answering calls for literacy help and created reading lessons in 315 languages.

Time Really Is On Your Side: One Little Life-changing Habit

Add a Half Hour To Your Day

 

One of the most brilliantly simple pieces of advice I ever heard was from Peter Shankman at a publishing conference. He said he has tried this and it had transformed his life and it is just this: get up a half hour earlier and use that to reach out to people. He said it can be as easy as wishing a happy birthday to your Facebook contacts, one meaningful phone call first thing in the morning or writing a personal note to someone you have longed to be in contact with. I remember listening to him and thinking I really didn’t want to get up any earlier, that my days were long enough (see July 14^th on letting go, clearly I needed to do some right then!) and that it did not sound that appealing. But his sincerity and enthusiasm somehow broke through my “baditude” and I pondered the idea as I walked back to my car and drove across the Bay Bridge back to office. I decided to try it and I can tell you, he is RIGHT.

The extra half hour of every morning has been one of the best investments I ever made. So much so that I added an hour. It completely changed my life for the better. Try it!

Show Someone You Care: Tiny Acts of Kindness

You know the saying, "It's the little things that make a big difference.

Collect or buy some items to make a care package for someone, such as a soldier serving overseas or a child in need you have found through an agency. I have two shelves in my closet where I stash stuff I know will make a difference in someone’s day, inexpensive little items. I picked up this wonderful habit from my mom and the ladies at her church. They have the knack of knowing just what people want

Give a book to someone out of the blue

Give a book to someone out of the blue. 

Think about what this person would enjoy rather than what you enjoy reading. Consider their interests and buy them a book. Already own a book you think they’d like? Sometimes giving away your own possessions will mean more to the recipient, making them feel important enough to inherit your belongings.  Recently, one of my friends said she wanted to cook more at home after work instead of eating out most nights. I got her two cookbooks on one-pot meals and slow cooker recipes. Even though this was not what I had in mind, I have enjoyed some delicious soups and stews she discovered in her reading and sharing these together makes for truly high quality time together.

Book 'em!

Donate Books to Migrant Children Separated from Families: 2000 Libros

1.  The 2,000 Libros charity is giving books to migrant kids separated from their families, and you can help them bring a little bit of happiness to these children's live
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3. Founded in July by Washington, D.C. residents Elizabeth Ballou, a former part-time writer for Bustle Digital Group, and Kristin Stadum, 2,000 Libros' "mission is to provide books to immigrant children who have been separated from their families and placed in centers across the U.S.," according to its Facebook page. The charity is working in conjunction with D.C. Books to Prisons, a similar organization that collects books for incarcerated people and prison libraries. As of a July 19 article in The Huffington Post, 2,000 Libros has sent care packages totaling 500 books to two detention centers: California's Crittenton Services for Children and Texas' Southwest Key. Titles sent to migrant children include Spanish-language translations of Captain Underpants, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Lucha Libre, and The Little Prince.
4. If you want to help 2,000 Libros to send books to migrant kids in detention centers, you absolutely should. Ballou and Stadum told The Huffington Post that they did not know how long they would be able to continue operating their charity book drive, due to professional obligations. However, you can still donate to 2,000 Libros through the D.C. Books to Prisons website, with the money going to purchase books from the charity's wishlist.
5. 2,000 Libros also accepts Spanish-language and bilingual books donated at four area bookstores: East City Books of Washington, D.C.; Busboys and Poets of Washington, D.C., Shirlington, Va., and Hyattsville, Md.; Kramerbooks and Afterwords of Washington, D.C.; and One More Page Books of Arlington, Va. East City Books is also taking orders for books from 2,000 Libros' wishlist on its website, as is the Politics and Prose Bookstore of Washington, D.C. The charity's Facebook page requests that donated books meet the following criteria:
6. New or gently used
7. Appropriate for kids in elementary or middle school
8. Relevant to Latin-American culture
9. Interested people with the time and means to do so are also encouraged to hold book drives for 2,000 Libros in their own cities.

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Simple Acts of Goodness

 Get acquainted with the power of human kindness—simple acts of goodness every day.

 When at the grocery store, return the cart, help the elderly man struggling with his bags. Open doors for people; say, “Hello,” with a smile. Every day and in every way choose to take the high road in your travels. The view is much more beautiful up top!

Do You Know How Great You Are?

Compliment someone today, and mean it. 

A genuine compliment can boost someone’s confidence and that is a great feeling. If you like your coworker’s blouse or new haircut (or both!), tell her. Open and honest communication works wonders for developing relationships and makes everybody’s day a little bit nicer.

Learn the Art of Letting Go

After all, we are all human and we have a little baggage. Or a lot,

I sometimes will hold in my feelings until it is like a dam about to overflow. Luckily for me, I have had the opportunity to learn from great authors like Sue Patton Thoele, Melody Beattie and Mark Nepo that we just have to move on toward the positive. Release any repressed anger and pain that you have been harnessing. Allow yourself to let go of the past so that you can proceed to live in the present without worry, fear, or resentment. Remember that this isn’t a one-time event, but a process. Letting go is an act of kindness for yourself and from yourself. Once you can accept that life isn’t always something you can predict or control, yours will eventually become more positive and joyous.

“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.” –Maya Angelou

Shed and Help Others Get Ahead

I bet you have too many shoes. I do and I really only like a few pair that are comfy and look good, too.

 Donate your unused new and “gently used,” footwear to soles4souls.org and you will help somebody who need them more than you, do. Many of these to go folks looking to rejoin the workforce and need nice interview shoes and on the job kicks, too.

Help Mother Earth Breathe Easier: Plant Trees

Have you heard about the amazingly ambitious goal of The Nature Conservancy to plant a BILLON trees and restore the forest of the world?

 From the rainforests in South America to China and even in the Arctic Circle, this hardy group of tree huggers is doing their darndest to recreate the woodlands and rainforests everywhere they can.  I urge you to look at the map to see how far they are getting; it is impressive and gives me so much hope about our future. www.nature.org

Keep Paying It Forward: Make It a Kinder World

Stop for a moment and think of someone who needs a gesture of kindness.

 Perhaps it is something kind that someone once gave to you. With gratitude for what was given, reach out and give back. It can be a simple gesture, like sending a card, or calling someone who is sick and saying you care. You may well recall the movie based on the  book but if you want ideas and to connect to other kindly folks, go towww;payitforwardfoundation. org. Pay It Forward  is about all people, from all walks of life giving to someone else and making a positive difference. At last count there were more than 500, 000 people in 60 countries around the world participating on the day.

Visit a Shelter and Meet a New Family Member: Adopt a Cat or Kitten

Millions of cats roam our street  looking for a kind person to take them in and give them a new home and some are feral and want nothing to do with people.

This huge population is especially acute at this time of year since shelters are overflowing with all the kittens born during the springtime. Unfortunately the message of spay/neuter still hasn’t got through to some people and out the animal goes when they realize she is pregnant--out she goes, where, if she is lucky, she will arrive at a shelter. Shelter cats make excellent companions. However, just as cats give people love and companionship, humans need to care for their cat and provide her with an appropriate loving home. Careful research and planning is the key to adopting the right cat for your family, since adopting one should never be an impulse decision and indoor felines can live up to twenty years

Plant a Tree for All Our Tomorrows

I grew up in a deeply forested state, West Virginia and was taught from a child to know and love trees. When I visited last time and drove all around to see relatives in far flung counties, I noticed huge swaths of brown amongst the green and asked what the heck was going on that seemed to be killing trees. 

That is how I learned about “acid rain,” an unfortunate by-product of coalmining, logging and too many chemical plants. On our 300-acre farm, no trees are cut, only planted so we are doing our part. In the settled of the great prairies and western states, trees were felled to “clean the land.” That is, in part, being rectified by a special effort to protect trees in the “last frontier.” Check out www.americanforest.org to see how you can help. Oh, and start in your own yard. Got room for a couple of trees? Start digging and planting and know you will enjoy years of beauty and leave behind a legacy for generations to come from your own good work.