Day 33 in Review

Prayer: Yes
Scripture: Yes
Silence: Yes

The Deed/The Day: Man, I had the early ticket on the do-unto-others train today. By 9 a.m., I had completed four. Not a usual day of deeding. Today at Publix, I added the dollar on for the March of Dimes. At Starbucks, I added a dollar to my bill for the Red Cross work in Japan. Then I sent my niece's birthday gift off in the mail and swung through the bank for a deposit and a sincere compliment on the teller's necklace. Done.

I have to be honest. I am usually very quick to give a big "negativo" when the cashier of any store asks me if I want to donate money via my bill to a charity. In fact, I often get annoyed that I am even being asked sometimes. But why not say yes? It's a dollar, and collectively it helps one person affect great change and assistance with a community of others. So maybe I need to look at that a little differently — and with a more generous spirit.

Words of encouragement/advice: Yes. The RPDS carpool line is a beautiful, encouraging example of how an ideal community should look out for one another. At RPDS (the kids' school) there are two ways in to the school carpool drop-off and pick-up line. You can enter from two sides of the parking lot, so naturally two lines of cars form. Without anyone directing traffic or any memos going out, this carpool line is about the smoothest running operation I've seen. When the two lines merge, this is what happens: a car from one lane moves ahead, then a car from the other lane moves into the line. Then a car from the other lane moves into lane, then a car from the other lane comes in. There is no competition. There is no me-first. There is no, I'm in a hurry so I'll go first. Everybody just takes their turn. Everybody just lets the other guy in. And guess what? It naturally just works!

Final thoughts: Let the other guy go first.