H.O.W. To Give This Christmas: A Pledge To Spread Love

“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.”
Francis of Assisi

You have all given so much already! Those of you who have signed on as charter members of H.O.W….you have vowed to help make this world a better place, and for that I thank you.

I have been described as a cynical optimist, and I tend to agree with that description. I want so badly to believe in the basic good of humanity, but then I read another news account of atrocities and I wonder if man will ever reach the exalted status for which he was born.

Every single time my heart begins to soar with the angels, it is shot down by another message of inhumanity. So I mend my wings, and then begin to soar again, only to find that déjà vu indeed does happen all over again.

Still, I was raised by beautiful parents who insisted that I not give up. “Always move forward”….those were the words drilled into me from the earliest days, and move forward I have and will continue to do.

I will continue to speak out against injustice, and I will continue to exhort those who read my words to do their part in improving this world. To do less would be a slap in the face to my parents, and it would be a slap in the face to myself.

So my friends, shall we move forward together?

There are few original ideas in life. No matter what we spawn in our brains, it is really just a variation of some other idea generated years ago. So it was with the 9 Nanas. I wrote about this marvelous collection of human beings, but allow me to take a moment and refresh your memories.

Nine women in Tennessee have been giving anonymous gifts to people in their community for over thirty-five years now. To date, they have given over $900,000 in gifts, and with each anonymous gift they have left a note that simply says “Somebody loves you.”

The gifts range from pound cakes to the paying of utility bills. They hear about a needy family during their daily excursions; they might be sitting in the beauty salon, and hear about a person who just lost their job. They might be in the grocery store when they hear about a person who was hospitalized. Whatever the case may be, they hear the story and then act upon it by giving a gift of love to those in need.

For thirty-five years they have done this, behind the scenes, with no hope of or desire for recognition.

Yes, indeed, we do! We all know someone in our lives who is in need this holiday season. Maybe it is the neighbor down the street who recently lost a loved one. Maybe you know of a family who just lost their job or home and are having a hard time making ends meet.

They are all around us. In this economy it is not hard to find them, and the holiday season only serves to remind them of how tough times are and how much they have lost.

That is where the H.O.W. movement comes into the picture!

So now I call on all of you to pick up where the 9 Nanas left off. We have written about making this world a better place, and now it is time for action. I am calling on you all now, during this holiday season, to walk the talk.

Every one of us has the ability to bring a little sunshine into someone’s life this December. We have thirty more days in which to act. One anonymous act of love!

Can you do it? Are you with me on this? One anonymous act of love!

What can you do? Can you give baked cookies to a poor family that you know, and leave them on their doorstep at night? Can you send anonymous messages of hope to those who need it? Can you find it in your hearts to brighten the world for a family or individual who has had darkness befall them?

Of course you can, and I know you will, because you are people of compassion, and you believe in this movement as deeply as I do.

Remember, the act must be anonymous. We do not write about it….we do not tell anyone about it….we just give of ourselves and our talents to send a message of love to someone who dearly needs it.

“I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate - it's apathy. It's not giving a damn.”
Leo Buscaglia

Indeed, apathy may well be the curse of modern society, so I am calling on all of you to give a damn, and in so doing show that love is stronger than apathy. Can we do, between us all, one-hundred acts of anonymous kindness? Of course we can, and we shall, and the message of love will be heard around the world, and a ripple will form, and that ripple will spread, and our movement will grow….one act of kindness at a time.

I am proud to be a part of this movement. You all make me more of an optimist and less of a cynic. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you! Through your participation in this movement, you have given me a gift, and I will be forever grateful.

Peace and love to you all, today and always!

If you are new to the H.O.W. movement, you can find us on Facebook here. You can also read about us on our website here!

2012 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)