Over the past few years around every spring the Rancho Mirage Women’s Health Center hosts a fundraising luncheon called WOW – the Wonder of Women, whose sole objective is to raise money for Safe House of the Desert. Safe House is located in Thousand Palms and is exactly that…a safe place for at-risk youth that have either run away from or been thrown out of their homes. It’s a safe place, a refuge from the unpredictable and potentially dangerous life on the street.
When I think about my own life, I am grateful for having always had a safe house. The only time that wasn’t the case was when I was on my travels that sometimes found me in a less than safe place, but that was of my own volition. As my daily life goes along, I am not confronted by the unfamiliar situation of not knowing where I’m going to sleep that night or if I’ll have a meal that day.
When our community reaches out to those experiencing challenges, offering fundraisers, financial, emotional or medical support it is a pure act of generosity. In yoga, this is called Seva or service. We act for others as we release all expectations of getting anything in return. It’s the highest form of giving.
The thought and subsequent challenge for you this week is to see if you can give something to someone else unconditionally. It might be a simple act of letting another person have a parking spot, paying a bridge toll for the car behind you or simply giving a compliment to someone else who’s doing the best they can. It doesn’t have to be an exchange of money, but more an exchange of good intention and energy.
And to quote Benjamin Franklin:
“When you are good to others, you are best to yourself”
