A new story around Giving Tuesday

makes me think storymaking Nov 30, 2021

GIVING TUESDAY arose in the US as a counterpoint to CYBER MONDAY, which itself comes after BLACK FRIDAY, intriguingly the day after Thanksgiving. Five days of (over)consumption, followed by one day which brings us back to the original spirit of the holiday.

While days of thanks giving have been around since the beginning of this country, it took Sarah Josepha Hale, the prominent editor of Godey’s Lady Book, three decades before Lincoln signed the Thanksgiving Proclamation into law in 1863 as a national holiday. In her view, it was a day that could ease tensions, bring people together, and give people something to rally around.

GIVING TUESDAY asks people to rally once again to give to causes they want to support.

Whether you do that or not is up to you, but I want to suggest that one of the most important things you can consider giving is a story.

If the story of the past five days has been one of consumerism -- and we are steeped in this story by a society driven with the engine of economics and valued through "stuff" -- what story can you contribute that will shift someone's perspective?

Where can you tell about the value of relationship? How can your story of appreciation increase someone's self worth? What story of breaking free of past constraints will give someone else the courage to try?

We live in a story, and that means we can change it. Each of us. One story at a time.

Isn't it time to have a brilliant ally on your side?

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