a mitzvah december

canon digital rebel xsi

Mitzvah is defined as a precept or commandment. A good deed done for religious duty. Comes from 17th century Hebrew.

I signed on for another month of blogging. December comes with an additional challenge from Eden Kennedy: "to give something, to someone, every day of the month, and then blog about it. The goal is to act with kindness, obviously -- I don't want to be responsible for people giving each other black eyes. Your gifts can be as large as volunteering or donating to charity, or as small as a kind word to someone who needs it."

Being a bit of a shut it, I am not sure exactly how this will work. I also am not much into bragging about doing something good - somehow I think that takes away from it. I do like sending things in the mail, so perhaps that is something I can do.

Here are some other ideas (off the top of my head):

• Do something nice for someone you care about: make someone a sandwich, walk the neighbor's dog, do someone else's regular chore.


• Do something unexpected for someone you have lost touch with: phone a friend out of the blue, send a card, write a letter, buy someone something off their wish list.


• Be kind to strangers: hold open the door, help someone with a heavy package, smile, let the other person have the better parking space.


• Help the needy: give your leftovers from your dinner to a homeless person, put some change in the Salvation Army can, drop off a used coat or warm clothing.


• Start a project: bake cookies, take up a cause, start a postcard campaign.

on the night stand :: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo.