What GIVES?

My mother has been the most extraordinary influence in my life, allowing me to grow up in a household of giving. She showed me this through her actions-always stopping to give to veterans outside our local Stop & Shop, donating to fund numerous mission trips from Haiti, to Guam, to Cameroon, to remote dental clinics down the Amazon River. Thanks for that life lesson, mom!

Emails. Laundry. Voicemails. Grocery shopping. Project deadlines. Mowing the lawn…it’s quite easy to get caught up in the minutiae of daily living. I’ve written a blog about finding happiness as a means to happiness, and naturally increasing productivity… Want another tip to be happy? Give.

My wife is a teacher in an inner-city school not afforded many of the privileges that suburban and affluent communities enjoy. Budget cuts are happening everywhere. It’s not just affecting staff, books, supplies, it’s also the semi-annual functions like field trips. Funding – gonzo. And to the detriment of the kids… why? So we decided to do something to change that.

We were recently honored to host a golf tournament to raise money to send my wife’s 2^nd grade class on a pair of field trips to increase their cultural awareness.  As a result, the students went to the Bushnell theatre in Hartford to see a play, and this past week they visited the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs, seeing much of the college campus, including the barn with the animals and a visit to the world famous Dairy Bar.

Giving can benefit so much more than the first-level recipients. It’s easy to remember to give during the holiday season, as my colleague Larry helps feed the homeless every Thanksgiving! Our firm’s owner, Danny Cahill is one for the most generous people I’ve ever met – often grabbing the checkbook before the person asking can finish the cause! Last month our firm held our Hobson Charity Day, supporting a local Salvation Army Chapter.

Smiling is contagious – and that’s what adorned the faces of each of those kids, many of whom had never seen a real farm animal, nor a college campus at any point in their lives!  And those kids brought their smiles all the way home, causing their parents to also smile and experience some of their children’s happiness.

Winston Churchill said it best: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Whether it’s your time, or a $1 bill, find a cause that you want to support, and GIVE. You’ll be adding more happiness to yourself, and the world!