Day 44, February 7 - Mindful Giving - See the Face of Charity

The heart the gives, gathers.

This week, February 7 to February 14, is CHD (Congenital Heart Disease) Awareness Week. My grandson, Cade, was born on May 25, 2015 with Hypolplastic Left Heart Syndrome. What that means in layman’s terms is that only half of his heart is functioning. His heart condition is only one of many, many congenital heart defects. I have a niece, Hannah, now 22, who was born with pulmonary stenosis. I look at these two and I see the wonders of modern science. When you give to a charitable organization, it really is helping save lives! However, with that being said, according to the Children’s Heart Foundation, CHDs are the most common cause of infant death due to birth defects. More research is needed.

I recently read an article in the Huffington Post about “Mindful Charitable Giving”.  This article talks about how, for many, charitable giving is no longer perceived as a privilege and a pleasure, but a duty that provides us with about as much satisfaction as dashing off a check to the electric company.  However, you can improve your sense of well-being and your outlook on life through acts of giving, especially if you practice a few tips that make your giving more meaningful.

Mindful Giving Tip:

 See the Face of Charity

When you write your check, you are giving to the well-being that is the end result of the charity’s work. Two examples are Cade and Hannah, who I talk about above. The stories in the video, Veterans United Foundation Five Years of Giving, personalize the impact of giving. The last family featured (at 6:50 in) is my daughter Rachel, her husband Zach and how this organization helped them after Cade was born. I hope you will consider giving.