The invitation is to believe in the best of humanity.  Our belief leads to action.  Action leads to goodness. Goodness leads to a sense of worthiness.

Last night, I watched my four-year old pull the large plastic bag out of the front seat of the truck.  She was so excited to bring in the gifts.  We just arrived home from the dollar store.

She pulled and pulled until the bag came loose, it’s weight swinging down towards the ground.  We both held our breath in the instants of wondering if the bag would crash to the floor.  She flexed.  She managed the bag on her own, looked up at me and smiled, “See Mom, I’m big.”  Worthiness.

She hurried inside to ask Dad to help her pack the gifts.  The loot was a gift for a stranger: a little girl, far away, in need.

The Builder and I have significant conversations regarding how to be changemakers in the season of giving. Of course, we continue to invest together in Niteo Africa, the charity I founded in 2007. Our hearts and gifts are also how to help with the local Syrian Refugee initiatives. We definitely want to give to our local faith and charitable communities. As an example, Willowstone Academy is encouraging students to give weekly at Chapel to support a Syrian family to resettle within our community.  It’s complex.

But, what matters most is simple.

The big question for me is,  “How can we unfold generosity for the children, on behalf of the children, and with the children?”

Of course, our big kids, now adults, are beginning to answer these questions for themselves.  We know they are on a journey of changemaking of their own creation.  We discuss how to be agents for Good often.  It looks like political activism, acts of service, friendship, and generosity.

As parents, our journey is mostly with the little one.  We call her “G”.  Here is what we’re thinking for this season.  How can your family join us as Changemakers for Good?

We choose to:

• Model the Way – We work to create a respectful environment in our home.  When I’m losing my cool, The Builder has a gentle way of prodding me back to the centre of things.  G will speak and behave the way we speak and behave, even if she doesn’t see us doing it.  That includes being generous and loving in the community we live and towards the broader global village?
• Focus on the Heart – We discuss character issues and use character words.  We affirm a “generous heart” or a “thoughtful helper” or a “kind tone of voice.”
• Be Generous – With boundaries clearly defined, we give what we can.  We give to our family, our community, and our favourite charities.  We are thoughtful and it doesn’t always have to be much.  We are creative with gifts of time, experiences, homemade, and ways to raise funds.
• We Do It Together – My heart is happiest when we can all be involved.  This year, we specifically chose to participate with Operation Christmas Child because we could do it together.  Our commitment is typically to sustainable development initiatives, however, that is difficult for G to wrap her head around.  Buying a shoebox worth of gifts for a little girl sounds like “helping Santa” to her and she is “all in.”  These experiences lay the foundation for generosity in the future.
• It Is Always Local – Our changemaking happens most often in our own kitchen and school ground.  We can choose to be life-giving, honest, and honouring of others.  We can choose to believe the best of people.  Everyone is just doing the best they can.

How will you cultivate generosity this holiday season?  How will you ensure you have energy for what matters most?  I’d love to hear your experiences and ideas here or on our Learn Forward social media (#LearnForward).

For the sake of the children,
Karine

P.S. Inspire changemaking this season by giving the gift of Learn Forward: An Invitation to the Most Important Journeys of a Child.  Now available in ebook version!