"Believe" 2010
So I haven’t even told you yet that I’m doing this 29-day giving challenge! It’s a pretty cool – and apparently rapidly growing – global project which involves committing to doing just one thing each day: giving.
I’ve been really inspired this year by the whole concept of the guerilla kindness movement, particularly by people like the kicking-serious-buttocks Patience of Kindness Girl, so felt it was high time that I jumped into action, even if it’s action of the baby steps variety.
Anyway, I’m on day 7 now and thought I’d share with you what I wrote over at the challenge to introduce myself.
Day One: A Semi-Altruistic Start
My home teacher in grade 11 was an incredible woman named Mrs Sulewski.
Every day, she would write a new word on the board (this was not what made her incredible, by the way), and one day, she wrote this: ALTRUISM.
She explained what it meant – giving without any thought of reward – upon which, I took great pride in finding every opportunity possible to do something thoughtful in the classroom and then announce with great triumph: “I WAS ALTRUISTIC!”
Upon which, Mrs Sulewski would slap her hand to her forehead.
By the end of year 11, said forehead was bruised.
So yesterday marked my first foray into this giving experiment, which comprised me giving my time. Specifically, three hours of time (five, if you include the commute) to teach improv to an actors’ coop in Brisbane.
I say this was semi-altruistic, namely because:
I truly enjoy, actually LOVE teaching improv, so it really was giving to myself as well. Cheesy as that sounds (and how!) Pass the crackers.
Of course it’s a good networking opportunity, especially given that I am about to start up my own improv ensemble in the coming weeks.
Now that I’ve written about it publicly, I can all but see good old Mrs S slapping that hand. I just hope she has a freezer full of ice-packs.