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NVLife_NovDec_2012

In an opinion piece in the Issue an Invitation: Declare your New york Times this past time commitment and a time frame as in the sample invitation above. summer, Tim Kreider wrote The gift of your time will be about what he called the far more meaningful if you: “busy trap.” As Kreider 1. Give the recipient control by pointed out, “It’s become encouraging them to determine how they wish to use your time. Be sure the default response when your invitation offers examples. you ask anyone how they’re 2. Let the recipient know that you doing, ‘Busy!’ ‘So busy.’ welcome time with them. This isn’t ‘Crazy busy.’” charity. You’re even excited to see how Shonor in American life. Our kids during the allotted hours, there willthey choose to use the gift.Before the date determined foryour gift, set parameters together.For example, you might agree thatound familiar? For many,busyness has become a badge of are busy; our parents are busy. Even our be no cell phone or other electronic dogs have play dates. Surely, we create interruptions. This is quality time. most of our busyness ourselves. We book and overbook; we pack our days with all If the time is going to involve any manner of activities – many of which we money, yours or theirs, clarify that, love. Much of our prized time goes to too. A friend, musing over the gift of group functions or to ubiquitous screens. time concept, thought it highly likely Yet when it comes to time spent one-on- that her teen-aged daughter would one, not so much. respond to such an offer with “Let’s go shopping,” the idea being couple of valuable hours in a TIME spent.bill. That can work, but it’snot the intent. The intentis to recognize the pricelessvalue of time shared, not cashFthat Mom would foot theo G I F TeT H How best to use that most precious of natural resources: Time. What would happen if, just once, we carved out a busy day and gave them to a family member, a neighbor, a colleague, a friend? Finally, after you share your gift of time, consider writing We CanDo it. We can give a note or making a call to the gift of our time. As the I’m really looking forward to time with thank your partner in this holidays approach and thoughts turn to the you, and will be in touch next week to adventure. And pass it forward. season of giving, there are many options. We firm up details. can write checks, buy gift cards, shop locally. especially in this whirlwind world, We can let our fingers do the walking across Imagine the tasks and projects around the house our time is truly a gift beyond countless keyboards. But think about what it might mean if you were given, instead of hands. You know those shelves on the back price.that you’ve put off for want of a couple of extra something material, the gift of a friend’s time. wall of the garage need re-organizing, but you Let’s say you’re the recipient of such a gift. can’t quite face the idea of plowing in on your You receive a card—snail or email—or a small own. Think how much easier it would be to get package at the front door wrapped with a bow. started if you had a sidekick. It reads something like this: Imagine a friend reading aloud because A G I F T O F T I M E ! your eyes aren’t what they used to be. Imagine This is a heartfelt invitation for you a coach to walk you through your new iPad to share two hours of time with or your first Skype session or chatting with a me engaged in an activity of friend over a leisurely lunch. Imagine time well your choosing. spent with someone who’s there just for you. Find out more about Napa Valley CanDo at www.NVCanDo.org or email Sometime in the next three months, G E T T I N G S TA RT E D NVCanDo@gmail.com, or call 707.252.7743 we might clean out a closet, paint Make a commitment: You may be surprised the garage door, plant those dahlia to notice how challenging this seems. A check bulbs you’ve been saving, bake some or on-line gift often appears far simpler than brownies, watch a game, go for a hike, the much more personal gift of one’s time. run errands...your call. N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2 73


NVLife_NovDec_2012
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