"THANKS!" Giving, a Re:vue

Giving, beneficence magnificence it's due: This, just after you had barely enough time to cleanse your palate, in between courses, or at least posts, here, re:garding "due diligence"..."here he comes again to re-mind US" of yet another thing we should all be doing, not just at a certain time, such as "well ahead, so as to not get left behind, save yourself some grief" -- even if you're one of those who ostensibly work best under pressure😰... When you have put in all the hard work and finally pause, even to "give thanks" and enjoy the company of others😉...to be in good cheer😒...here comes a re-minder of those who are among the "have- nots", the ones that we tend to easily miss, those who re-main in need, even after we may have given this time last year....Ranging from some people who are ringing bells outside of grocery stores accompanied by a red kettle, which are strategically placed, or the annual "radiothons" on behalf of those whose hunger status is more perennial, recurring...or the "feels good" stories on our local, even national news, to pierce the darkness of all the preceding "Breaking (broken?) News!" -- stories that include those of un-selfish, even bound-less giving...gifts that range from those most of US would find extravagant, whether in the form of the time, talent, or treasures the "anonymous" donor gave, asked to not be named, whose true identity re-main shrouded (e.g., the one who occasionally drops the golden coin into the red kettle), but whose generosity stirs a Spirit of Giving that may actually stir us to action... on down to those who themselves are hardly in a position to offer much assistance...it's time once again for all of US, to...

"Get into the Act!" Such as..."A type of multi-act theatrical entertainment that combines, music, drama, and sketches...a compelling show...compelling us...gets us into the spirit...the action...a general theme serves as a motto for loosely-related series of acts that alternate between solo and dance ensembles..." A revue! Which here and now, in the Spirit of Giving, this time of year, whether we do it in the silence and solitude of contemplation on behalf of those who are "truly in need" or you join a throng, ensemble, even a chorus, go choraling, house-to-house, to raise funds (which might even earn you some free hot chocolate), a time of year you're even forgiven for singing a bit off key...all in, for a good cause (such as putting a pause on quarreling😠😇)...yep, we all tend to turn out this time of year...

"It's not the amount" Frequently accompanied by "If every one does their part, if everyone just pitched in...we could reach our goal of..." The whole range, gamut of opportunities and options for giving, whether through dropping real coins into the bucket, kettle, to online..."Pay Pal" we tend to find our giving more than our taking part of our selfie, at this point of the year, which hopefully is accompanied by actually getting the point, of why, not so much how much..."Good deeds, good will toward..." Soon to be accompanied, perhaps supplanted by...

"It's the thought that counts, match-less": Here, today, in the Spirit of Giving, you, yourself, are treated charitably by the charities themselves, who re-assure US that, even if in the form of left-overs, after-thoughts, stuff lying around in the form of excess time ("I'm bored..."), talents ("you've got so much untapped potential!") and trea$sures (especially coinage, maybe time to break your piggy bank 😔😟, given the ca$hless purchasing these  days...)...And even if the urge to give "wasn't my idea in the first place", but brought on more by the awareness of the added benefit of a tax break ("timely😉😇")...even if it was a less-than-noble origin, and you were humbled by the "anonymous donor" who offered to match all others, as well as the amazing ability of the charities themselves to stretch the few bucks I give... Despite all of these ignoble sources of giving, I still find I'm not only "Welcome!" but "Thanked!" for my so-called "generosity"...Which "They" -- the charities, all those in need, hope beyond hope, sustain faith that we, all of US, remain mind-full...

A-rears, view: "Forget YOU? Not!" Representing the best of our intentions, tempered by the self-awareness of "long, easily forgotten...a distant memory..." After the gatherings where we gave "Thanks!" and resolutions we made to remain mindful of those in more dire circumstances, we find ourselves instead to have "moved on...". At least until about mid-April, when another type of gathering, of 'stuff', may be yet another re-minder of to whom and how much we gave, and regard-less of the reason, yet another season of giving, when we may be prompted to send yet another check, to everyone's favorite uncle, the one whose unsatiable appetite is itself match-less. That's, of course, if we find ourselves on his "'naughty" list, when we held on to too much throughout the year...whereas if we are so lucky to have been self-en-lightened, perhaps through a combo of donations and "With-holding", be due, benefi-cents...a few months down the road, from our "Great Uncle Sam"...

"Thanks, IOU!" 

Review of Revue: Did ya' know? That the word "revue" finds its origins in the French word for "review"...as in a "show presenting a review of current events" 😔😄..."he's such a 🦃!"

Happy Thanks-Giving!

Tomorrow: Re:heating, B4 be-holding...