Yesterday, I spent some time with my friend Eric Winger whom I met this past year through a mutual friend. We were introduced because our friend knew we would both benefit from knowing each other. Eric had recently taken on his own giving project. I have mentioned Eric, author of the blog Resolve to Give previously on the blog. Last Christmas, Eric decided to do his own giving project. Here is the original challenge he gave himself:
Every day until next Christmas, I’m going to try
to do something helpful for someone or our community;
something which might be a little uncomfortable;
something which connects me to someone;
something which requires me to listen to people I disagree with;
or something which forces me to seek out people who need a hand up.
in the hopes that it becomes a habit.
He has had an incredible year and has grown in ways he couldn’t have guessed. Eric had called to ask me to grab a coffee because he was at the same place I was in March of 2009 when I was nearing the end of my own mitzvah project. Yesterday, we chatted, strategized and shared stories.
Eric and I realized that one of the profound things we both learned while working our projects is what an incredible role intention played for each of us. We both knew that it was one of the most important things that shifted for us as we consciously looked for daily ways to be helpful or do a mitzvah. When you set an intention to do something good everyday, you are looking for opportunities and you want to make something good happen and you seek out possibilities.
I know I have written about this several times before, but sometimes sharing what you know with someone at a critical time can have tremendous value. There are numerous people whom I lean on for continued help and support while I have embarked on some new endeavors. Yesterday, l was able to encourage Eric and share what I have learned along my journey. He may think that he benefitted through the experience, but anytime we are in service, we also benefit and so it was my pleasure to play a hand in his journey and I am eager to see what possibilities begin to unfold for him in this next year.
1,000 Mitzvahs 