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The Gift Of Giving
by Marty Klein
Memories can be great. They often remind us of special moments during our lifetime. Here’s a memory I hold dear in my heart because I learned so much about the gift of giving.
It was early December in 1983 and I found myself at the mall with my partner, Hilary and her five-year-old son Jory. Hilary and I were attempting to teach Jory about the good feelings that come from giving. Earlier we had explained to him that there were decisions to be made regarding some of his old toys that were no longer used. We described a few options: keeping them forever in his closet, throwing them out or giving some of them away to some other child who might be very happy to have one of his toys.
He thought about it a little, looked around at his old toys, slowly picked one up and softly said, “I will give this one away.” Both his mom and I were pleasantly surprised and put the toy, an Etch-A-Sketch set in the car, not exactly knowing how or where we would continue with the lesson.
After shopping at the mall we all went back to the car, put our bags in the trunk and noticed the Etch-A-Sketch set. Hilary looked at her son and said, “How would you like to give your toy away here?” Jory looked at the set, picked it up, held it for a moment, then ran over to the entrance to the mall, carefully placed it on a bench we had been sitting on before and immediately ran back to the car.
“I want to stay and watch,” he said as the three of us leaned back on the trunk of the car, viewing the spot with the toy from a distance. Jory quietly eyed the bench for about ten minutes as people walked in and out of the mall until another mom came by with her young boy. Jory perked up and began to stare intently. The boy saw the Etch-A-Sketch set, quickly picked it up and began to play with it. He looked up at his mother and they said a few words to each other. They both looked around for a minute, she shrugged her shoulders, then nodded and he grabbed the toy and sprinted into the mall with his new found prize.
Jory stayed very still for a few moments, clearly processing what had just taken place. Then he glanced up at us and said, “The boy looked very happy with his new toy.” He smiled warmly, looked up at us and opened his arms. We picked him up, hugged and kissed him, got in the car and drove home.
I sat still in the car on the way home, quietly doing my own processing about what I had just witnessed. I think I learned more about the gift of giving that day from the innocent responses of Jory, my five-year-old step-son than I had from anyone else in my life. Thanks, Jor!
Each one of us has many opportunities everyday for giving and most of us who give find the experience deeply satisfying. Too often many of us find ourselves caught up in old conditioning which compels us to focus only on what we can get, not what we can give. Yet many people who have accumulated more possessions or money than what most people have, still struggle with dissatisfaction and feel compelled to get more, whereas many of those who have learned to give tend to be happier people and more at peace with themselves and their lives. The good news is that today’s a brand new day and each one of us gets to decide how we want to live it.
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Deepak Chopra: The Seven Attributes of a Highly Effective Teacher
by Penny Clements
Deepak Chopra tells the story of a baggage handler he encountered while traveling through the Atlanta airport. As the young man recognized Deepak’s familiar face, he began a word search for the name to go with it, but finally gave up. It went something like this: “Deep… Deep… DEEP STUFF, Man!”
How funny. The young baggage handler had inadvertently transformed Deepak’s name into his claim to fame… The Deep Stuff…, which has now captured worldwide attention. Who is this teacher of the deep stuff anyway?
Based on my observations while participating as a student of the Chopra Center Teacher Training Program, I have compiled a list of seven attributes of this highly effective teacher, Dr. Deepak Chopra:
1) His Teaching Format… The presentation of mind-boggling information in a relaxed atmosphere and often interspersed with yoga, meditation, poetry, music, and dancing. (Deepak says, “It’s not worth doing if it can’t be fun.”)
2) His message-one of equality… Looking right at me in a workshop one day, he said, “I am no better than you, and you are no better than I. We are the same.”
3) His ability to stay focused… He delivers what he promises in his lectures and summarizes at the end. In other words, he’s easy to follow.
4) His authenticity… He’s warm, composed, eloquent, and real. He uses just enough self-disclosure to be authentic. He lives what he teaches, and he doesn’t need to be called “Doctor” all the time.
5) His sense of humor… Refined and refreshing.
6) His heartfelt respect for wide cultural diversities… Although he is a vegetarian, he offered both options to those of us at a dinner party in his home.
And the most important attribute of all-
7) His ability to excite the spirit… Deepak Chopra is a radiant mirror for my potential. He is a vibrant example of a life being lived with the goal of maintaining balance in body, mind, and spirit, while transforming himself and others along his life path...exactly what I am also aspiring to do.
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Raffle for Patron Tickets at New Leaf Market
We are pleased to announce that all of our patron tickets for An Evening With Deepak Chopra have been sold. Many have taken advantage of this opportunity to meet Dr. Chopra at a private reception, realizing it may well be the chance of a lifetime.
You still have a chance to acquire patron tickets. New Leaf Market is raffling off two pairs of patron tickets for only $5 per entry. Two winners will receive a pair of first row seats at the lecture, an invitation for two to the reception, and autographed copies of one of Dr. Chopra's recent books. A $200 value!
So, next time you're at New Leaf, just ask the cashier or any worker for an entry blank. The drawing will be held on December 15. Good luck!
A Home for Southern Springs
Land Acquisition Fund Drive
On November 19, Southern Springs will be two years old. We have accomplished much in the past twenty-four months. We have begun to build a solid organization, with a growing number of enthusiastic people joining us. While we are proud of what we have accomplished, our emphasis is on what we plan to do in the future.
In addition to our upcoming events, our focus for the next year will be on acquiring land for our retreat center. We are currently searching Jefferson, Wakulla, Gadsden, and Leon Counties for a location that will best align with our vision. Our excitement grows when we think about having our own place and the fun of building a beautiful, supportive environment for the community. We intend to make our dream a reality, but we need help to make it happen. Here's what you can do . . .
We have begun a fund-raising drive exclusively for the purpose of acquiring land for our future home. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to our land acquisition fund, you can call us at 878-8643 or send a check to:
Southern Springs
2032 Wedgewood Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32311
Please note on the check that it is for the land acquisition fund, and make it payable to Southern Springs.
The first sixteen contributors of $250 or more to the land acquisition fund will each receive a premium of a front-row seat ticket to “An Evening with Deepak Chopra” on January 29, 2001, an invitation to a private reception for Dr. Chopra, and an autographed copy of one of his recent books. All contributors of $250 or more to the land acquisition fund will be listed as “Supporters of Southern Springs” in the event program, unless they request otherwise.
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Ecstatic Dance
Dance to the music of Gabrielle Roth every month at the Miccosukee Land Co-op Community Center, 7:30 - 9:30 PM. The next dance evening is scheduled for Friday, December 15. Yes, it's at the end of the week, and it’s hard to go one more place and do one more thing. But this releases energy, revitalizing our tired bodies while we do something we were born to do -- move, dance, soar. So come join us, even if you're tired. Email reminders will go out every month. Call 878-8643 for more information, or to leave your email address. Cost: $3.00 for Southern Springs members and $5.00 for non-members.
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