The snowman

​We had an office party and they randomly drew names for holiday gifts.  These gifts were displayed during the entire luncheon and I spotted a Hallmark Snowman, whose arms were made with real tree branches.  I was in love with this little snowman, and in line with my personality, I told everyone at the party that I was going to win it.  I just felt it.  Well, I did not win the snowman. 

I was on the training team and because we were so small we shared office space with the technical team, which was also fairly small.  From a work perspective, we were about as opposite as it gets.  The technical team liked to sit quietly and not interact with others, where the training team was made up of people with bubbly personalities interacting with many people each day.  My manager (the training team) and the manager of the technical team got along really well so we often times did joint team events, happy hours, etc.  Well, the manager of the technical team won the snowman.  He was not present that day, so I took charge of the snowman and left it for him on his desk with a note about how lucky he was and how much he totally deserved to win.  While I was sad I had not won it, I was genuinely over the moon happy for him.  At the time, I would not have spent the money on something like that for myself.  I would not have thought it was a good use of money… I have changed quite a bit from those days.

The next morning, I got into work really early to get a head start and as I approached my cubicle saw that the snowman was sitting on my desk!  Attached to it was a post it note that asked that I take care of it and make sure it has a good home and the note ended with the most beautiful quote that not only have I never forgotten, but has shaped so much of my life.  “We make a living by what we earn, but we make a life by what we give.”  Since that day, every time I see the snowman (yup, it’s on my bed in my parents’ house), I remember the power of giving.  

The advice I give to everyone when they are feeling sad, depressed, lonely or just less than... go do something kind for someone else.  There is a magic in giving.  There is a fulfillment that comes from knowing that today, for this moment, your life and who-you-really-are touched another person and made their life a tiny bit better, or happier, or more fulfilled.  Be the gift that everyone so desperately desires these days.  And, what you will see, is that As you give, so shall you receive.  And, that your life becomes richer and sweeter when you give to others.  

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