Thanks GIVING
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. In reality, it doesn’t take that much planning and if you can get everyone to bring a dish, it’s actually pretty simple to develop an excellent meal. Add some great conversation and good wine and it’s pretty much a home run holiday.
In the past I have always tried to focus on the Thankful side of the holiday and what it means to not take for granted all that we have - our homes, our families and friends, our respective talents, and the ability to share them through our work.
But this year I wanted to focus on the Giving portion of the word and the holiday itself. It’s interesting that these days we tend to focus on the monetary side of Giving. We are bombarded every day with requests from various charities to donate money to their specific causes. Yes, it can be overwhelming and perhaps - if we are to be honest with each other - a little frustrating.
But I had to laugh this morning as I started to write this blog that perhaps we all need to be reminded - myself included – of the definition of Giving. So I looked it up -
giving
/ˈɡiviNG/
adjective
providing love or other emotional support; caring.
This reminded me of a prayer called the Stewardship Prayer. My favorite line read like this;
”… strengthen our faith and grant us the spirit of Christian stewardship so that we may give generously of our time, talent and treasure…
And there it is, whatever your faith system or level of belief, it comes down to this - sometimes we forget that the first thing that we are asked to Give is not necessarily money - but our time and our love!
Sometimes it’s harder to give of our time because it really means giving more deeply of ourselves. We may even find it easier to simply donate to a charity rather than giving of ourselves fully into something we believe in - a cause we can connect with. But that’s really the essential part of giving.
This year I wanted to focus on a community service that I could give my time - something I could connect with, and I was really excited to achieve my long-time goal of getting my dog Bailey certified as a Therapy Dog.
Through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, and my local club, Lehigh Valley Therapy Dogs, we are able to connect to hundreds of people – young and old alike - that could use a good snuggle from man’s (and this woman’s) best friend. From the moment Bailey came into our lives, we realized that Bailey had way more love to give – and a greater need for attention – than my husband, John, and I could give.
One of the standards of being a Therapy Dog is to be well behaved in public places where there are a lot of people. So the first requirement was to pass the “Good Canine Citizen” test – a fairly simple test where Bailey needed to sit, stay, heel and walk in control. This is not an easy feat for a dog who really just wants to hug and kiss everyone, but fortunately Bailey passed on her first try!
The next hurdle is to be “observed in action” – so we met with a certified dog tester through the Alliance who watched how Bailey and I, (the handler is very much part of the certification process – we are a team!) interacted with residents of several local nursing homes. Our first visit was a real learning experience for me - and for Bailey. There is a fine line between a dog that pays attention to their owner, and also pays attention to the individuals that they are there to visit. Through these three visits we learned the new skills needed for Bailey and I to become a successful Therapy Dog team. For example Bailey needed to learn not to give her paw to people in order to draw their attention.
But what has become even more interesting is Bailey’s transformation when it’s time to go to “work.” First I put on Bailey’s official work bandana and her special four foot leash. Then I always give her a brief review of “sit, stay, and heel” before we go into any building – this helps put her into the right frame of mind. I make sure before anyone greets her that she sits down and stays, whether at my side or by her new friend.
So far we’ve visited local nursing homes, libraries, schools and half-way homes. Bailey doesn’t judge or ask questions, she just wants to connect on a basic level. What’s even more amazing is how this has changed my life, too. When I take the time out of my busy schedule to bring Bailey for a visit it makes me slow down, as well. I sit with her as she visits residents and while the kids read to her. It makes me realize that Bailey is my Therapy Dog, too!
There is always something amazing that happens when we give of ourselves – we get much more in return. Yes, it is wonderful to support charities through monetary donations when we can, but this ThanksGiving I will not only be thankful for all the gifts I have been blessed with, but also remember that giving of my time and personal connection can be even more valuable.