Giving during this Holiday Season

I read a post today from another mom blogger I randomly found a while back. Her post had nothing to do with being a mom, but is about giving during this holiday season (and well all year long). I was so incredibly touched by the post, but in particular with the photo she posted with it that I feel compelled to write (and take action).

Jessica writes about the importance of giving blood. It's an act of kindness that will cost you nothing (other than time), but could save someone's life. She encourages us all to be brave and try it. I will admit, I have never given blood (voluntarily at a donation site). I have a fear of needles, which over the years has gotten way better (I no longer get sweaty and hyperventilate. Yay, small steps, right?). I still have a huge fear of giving blood though. My dad is a huge donator though. As people with O blood, he has always encouraged us to join him because we can do so much good by just taking a little bit of our time to help others. So I will challenge myself in 2016 to at least try to give blood at least once and I encourage others to as well. I think as a new mom, there are so many "fears" I had that I am forced to overcome. Why not make this one of those and actually do some good?!

The larger message that I got from Jessica's post, however, was the act of giving out of selflessness. Throughout my life up until my mid-20s, I always volunteered. I was an active Girl Scout, I joined Circle K in college and I even volunteered at a local elementary school at my first post-college job. As life went on though, I lost that active volunteerism. It's one of my true regrets each year (and I'm not big on regrets in life--I make choices in my life and I live with those choices). I look at what my mom and dad have taught me about giving to others and I want the same for William. I cannot preach with practicing. So as I look ahead at a new year, new goals, new choices, I will commit to volunteering more.

Jessica's photo says it all: