Getting close...

So today at starbucks I shocked the hell out of someone. I actually paid for their drink. She was so blown away by the whole experience. I am guessing that no one had ever done that before. She was really taken back by the whole experience. I said "Happy Holidays" and that i was paying it forward for her. I do that often. I like to pay for peoples drinks, since i frequent starbucks so much. I think it is a great conversation starter and a great way to make an instant friend. That was a good deed for the day.

Today I also hired an accountant. Scary but necessary. In starting the new company, i just want to make sure everything is legit. At $25 an hour, i think it is a worthwhile investment moving forward. Time will tell how it works out. I am optimistic and hope all is well.

It is quiet around the holidays right now for me. Aside from some last minute business requests, everything is going great. I can say that i am sad for the first time in many of my years. I want to be happy and am seeking it out, but I miss...my father. He really made Christmas time for me and my family. He was a fantastic cook, funny and loved his music and movies. I remember going home for Christmas some years and spending 3 or 4 days doing nothing but watching movies that he had rented and really liked. He was always so jovial around the holidays regardless of what was going on. He loved to give and his generosity always astounded me. He gave to family members that were less fortunate, he would crochet blankets for my grandmother and grandfather to ensure they would always be warm, he would cook amazing meals and feed all that were hungry. One year he cooked an entirely separate meal and brought it to a needy family in the Bay area (Bay St. Louis that is). She was so amazed and taken back, she couldn't say anything but began crying and thanking "Mr Ed" for cooking her this amazing meal. He also bought her kids some toys from the dollar general store. They were so excited and to be truthful, they were the only presents under her tree. He gave at times when others weren't as fortunate,not just for christmas, but year round.

I hope to be like my father in that sense. I want to be the person that gives and shows love, not just for the holidays, but for every day. Quite often we forget what the holiday should stand for. It stands for so many things to so many people, but for me, it represents giving, sharing and loving. Its not about the size of the gift, but the heart of the gift that has given it. Its not about how much was given, but how much was gained in the spirit of giving. We are in the midst of tough times and its not how much we can horde that is going to make us stronger, but how much we can network, give and be there for friends, family and new acquaintances. How much money we amass and put into savings or retirement will never make a person. Why do we want to save so much for when we are older. My motto is live for now. Money is never an object, its an objection.

So in the spirit of this holiday season, may you be blessed with love, compassion and the spirit of "Ed".
Until next time...