Yesterday I stood by a woman at the bus stop. She was no more than 5 feet tall, and I’m closer to 6. She stood straight and carried nothing except a large purse. She spoke cheerfully in a thick Scottish accent, looking for the bus with eyes that could see it far better than mine. She was eighty-eight. She sat down on the bus, across from another woman, a mother whose child smiled at the older woman sitting across from him. He waved. She waved to him. Today is a day to remember our elders. It’s a day to think … Continue reading →

Yesterday we talked a bit about how informal, community acts of helping and giving can create community connections and teach your children about how giving does not need to be onerous. Today, let’s talk about another way of giving (and receiving!): volunteering. I started volunteering as a young child. I recall spending many of my lunch hours in the school store, helping sell yogurt and drinks to other students as a fundraiser for our school council. I worked with one of our supervision aides, a gruff but kind woman who taught me how to make change and do very quick … Continue reading →