Gratituesday 12.15.20 - Unconditional Giving
It’s the season of GIVING. However, yesterday I received 2 different messages and it got me thinking. First off, I watched One Night Only The Best of Broadway on NBC.com. It was a celebration of Broadway musicals to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. One of the songs included was “When You’re Good to Mama” from Chicago.
If you’re not familiar with the tune, here are 2 stanzas:
“They say that life is tit for tat
And that's the way I live
So, I deserve a lot of tat
For what I've got to give
Don't you know that this hand
Washes that one, too?
When you're good to Mama
Mama's good to you.”
And then at bedtime, I opened the Calm app, and Tamara Levitt’s Daily Calm for the day was called ‘Unconditionality.’
“I’d like to talk about the power of unconditionality. The virtue of doing things without condition. We often get caught up in the idea that if we’re kind, that kindness will be returned. Which isn’t the best reason to do things for others. Sometimes it’s ego that drives us. We are kind because we long for credit or recognition. Although ostensibly it appears we’re being kind or doing good things for other people. If we examine our motivations, we might see that we are doing it for ourselves.”
And I thought ‘uh, oh.’
I really am a giving person, and I don’t need validation about that. However, I think I vacillate more towards Mama Morton. I am not sure where it comes from, but for some reason, in the back of my head, I think “what’s in it for me?”
So, I am in the middle of a paradigm shift. I’d love to catch myself when I give and release the expectation of receiving something back.
In fact, in the last 10 minutes, I went online and donated to Broadway Cares.
My friend, and Atlanta restauranteur, Jenny Levison, has always been generous and continues to give back to the community. In fact, she toured the country in an RV on a 6-Week Kindness Tour. With a rotating cast of friends, family & co-workers they offered random acts of kindness to people they met. I plan join her in the Spring when she takes her next tour. I’m excited to see where I’ll be in my personal journey. In the meantime, here are my weekly lists. Feel free to join in below.
Gratitudes
Hot coffee and red wine
Grocery stores in walking distance
Sunny days
Streaming TV options
Having a dishwasher
Victories
Being on my devices less
270 consecutive days of Spanish lessons on Duolingo
A strong side crow pose in yoga yesterday and today
Cooking some good meals - with leftovers for the freezer
Sending my parents a gift for their anniversary EARLY
Desires
Actually posting items for sale and to give away - rather than moving it on my to-do list
Expanding my business circle
Finding a better place to put the litter box
An easy transition of presidential leadership
For people to take COVID-19 seriously, and to stop thinking that the vaccine is a cure all