Try Giving Yourself Away

[265 words] In the late 1940s, David Dunn wrote a delightful little book by the above title. He determined that he would practice, as a hobby, the art of giving himself to other people. His goal was to do small, thoughtful deeds for others as he went about his daily activities. He found that while such kindnesses did not cost him very much in terms of money, time or effort, they brought great results. His kindnesses might range from a simple smile shared with a passerby, a word or note of appreciation, or a word of encouragement. He found that while such deeds brought an element of joy to the recipient, he was the one whose heart became filled with joy. In the chapter entitled “Bread Upon the Waters,” he stated, “Doing what you can to make life more livable for other people makes your own life fuller. Friends multiply…