The Gift of a Contributory Life
When I arrived in Palm Desert on
Canadian Thanksgiving Day, the first thing I noticed was amid the Halloween
costumes, the stores had Christmas decorations displayed! I felt very
disconnected from Christmas as I trudged along in 95 degree weather at the
beginning of October, no less; but, more than disconnected, I felt dismayed. – Christmas decorations in October? Really?
Festive propaganda? Yes! I felt
overwhelming sadness at what I saw as the debasement of the season’s true meaning. The holiday season reduced to a spending
spree compelling people to overspend and start the New Year off in debt.
Subsequently, these thoughts were
supported. The Saturday, November 10,
2012 edition of The Desert Sun
published an article by Anne D’Innocenzio, “Black
Friday shoppers will begin preparing now”.
“Black Friday” is the day following American Thanksgiving, so the end of
November. The article described how the
retailers are making an early bid for consumer cash.
Stores are making a big push to lure in bargain-hungry
shoppers before the Friday after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the
holiday shopping season. They are putting on special sales that further creep into
Turkey Day – and earlier. For the first time, Disney Stores, Sears and Kohl’s
are among the stores offering at least some of the same Black Friday deals to
customers a few days before Black Friday. “It’s no longer Christmas creep. It’s Christmas crush,” said Marshal Cohen, chief
research analyst at NPD Inc., a market research firm, referring to the bevy of
Black Friday deals that shoppers will be able to buy earlier that week.
Stores on both sides of the border are
now well into holiday hype – the festive garlands that dress the shops, the snowflakes
in the windows- seem to mock rather than celebrate the spirit of the
season. I realized how easy it is to
succumb to the miasma of consumerism madness; losing sight of what is really
matters - what is important.
Coincidentally and in juxtaposition to the
seasonal mass consumerism going on around me, I happened to watch the HBO
documentary, Ethel, a personal
portrait of Ethel Kennedy, produced
by Rory Kennedy. The documentary included
candid interviews with Ethel and her children, along with film footage of the
family unit before and after Robert (Bobby) Kennedy’s assassination. The documentary highlighted Ethel’s political
awakening, her deep commitment to and love for her husband, Bobby, and her
faith.
What I found most compelling was
Ethyl’s fortitude: her strength securely
founded in her values, her faith, and her principles. She is a courageous woman.
She had and still has a clear vision of
what is important in life and never lost sight of it.
The documentary made me reflect back on
my own values, my relationships with countless women who generously extended their
guidance and support to me through the years, as well as the spirit and intent
of the holiday season. What greater gift than giving of self to others
can someone give?
This year, my friends and family are
limiting gift giving to children. I am
giving money to charity – to help those less blessed than I. I also decided to give the gift of self in
support of the Minerva Foundation through ICF Vancouver's Coach Giving Portfolio. It was important to me to give meaningfully;
something that will (hopefully) positively impact someone’s life – a lasting
gift – not a seasonal token soon forgotten, shelved or re-gifted. I want my legacy to be the gift of a
contributory life. I want to make a
difference.
In this season of giving, if pro-bono
coaching for the Minerva Foundation
peaks your interest, please contact our very knowledgeable and approachable Coach Giving Chair, Shelly Harris.
Cherie Williams
ICF Vancouver Chapter - Vice President
