It's Feel Good Friday!

...and I have a surefire way that you can make yourself feel good--help somebody.

The Dalai Lama said:

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core
of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found
that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense
of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically
puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may
have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is
the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material
creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external
development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”

I received a message from John Edwards on Thanksgiving. Okay, me and thousands of other folks received a message from John Edwards. Anyway, the candidate issued a challenge as part of his One Can Change America initiative:

...I am challenging everyone in our campaign family to, at some point over
the next six weeks, volunteer one hour at a food bank, donate at least one can
to a food bank, give one lead-free children's toy to a toy drive - and call on
one friend or family member to do the same. Today, I'll be dropping by my local
food bank, the Interfaith Council for Social Services, to lend a hand with their
Thanksgiving food drive. Click here to find volunteer opportunities in your area.

I am pledging to do the three things above before Christmas and I hope you will join me. In the frenzy of Black Friday, have you thought about the people who are just worried about the basics this holiday season? What will you do to make someone's life better over the next six weeks?