Positive Port Alberni

A DECADE OF GIVING!
This is my wish for every person in this blessed community. I am advocating a life-style of giving, and this excludes no one. We all have the ability to give to each other. I saw a program on Venezuela recently, and they decided that every child should have the opportunity of appreciating music, and so the curriculum was built around this subject. I saw the result with my own eyes, and then wondered what would happen if the wise men of this community should set the goal of GIVING!
I live and will die here, and I wish the best for this community. We are able to come together on many ideas concerning sports and the economy, let us take time to think of the importance to having Port Alberni known as THE GIVING COMMUNITY! Is this too large for a community goal? I am asking for your support, and I know that we will look back on 2011 as the year that we undertook to make 2011 the start of our GREAT ADVENTURE OF GIVING. The year is going, and we want to make good use of every day of our lives, and so I share this ancient poem with you. The author is unknown.
Look to this day, for it is life.
The very life of life.
In its brief moment lies the realities of life;
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendour of love.
For yesterday is but a dream.
And tomorrow only a vision,
But TODAY well lived,
Makes every yesterday, a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow, a vision of hope.
Look to this day, for that should be our salutation to the dawn!
Let this be our mantra as we begin each day, and see what a difference it would make in this community.
I hear you saying: If I were rich, I will gladly give to all! We have a lot of gifts right within ourselves here and now. There is more to giving than money. It has been said that we give but little when we give of our possessions, it is when we give of ourselves that we truly give. So what of ourselves that we can give? As I speak of giving, I remember some radical statements on this subject. God so loved the world, that he gave, his only son for us. This has been done today. Think of the men and women who are giving their lives for us. Many are following this example today.
Let us bring this giving to our daily lives. It was Deepak Chopra whose words are still with me years after I have read them. Here is his challenge to me and to you: GIVE A GIFT TO EVERY PERSON YOU MEET TODAY! This is not putting it to some other time. Right now wherever you are, you can start creating the GIVING SOCIETY in Port Alberni.
What can I give to everyone I encounter today? A smile, a wave, a flower, a compliment, a helping hand, a visit, some money, a listening ear, a song, a poem, a prayer, a letter to the editor, give attention to our spouses, friends, children, friends, a positive thought. That is enough to make a start, and then you will soon develop the habit of GIVING!
Some of you may be interested in giving the gift of Time! Here is an invitation to joining The Lions, the Barkley Choir, The Knights of Columbus, Folkfest Multicultural Society, The Sunshine Club, Food and Filosophy, Celebrating the Word, Timbre! Just look around, there are many organizations that can use some of your valuable time. There is no reason to be bored in this community. Leo Buscalia said that the purpose of our lives is to become the best that we can, and then give it away!!!
If I can start just one person to commit to the GIVING LIFESTYLE, then I would have been very successful and Port Alberni will be a better place for your commitment.
INVITATION TO FOOD AND FILOSOPHY. On Monday 10th at 5:30 p.m. Richard Girling will be GIVING his knowledge to all of us at Dolce Vita. He will be talking about The History of the English Language. He has been a recent member of this group and he has volunteered to give us a lecture on this vital subject. There will be a lot of time set aside for questions.