It’s time to take a deep breath and put away the urgency of the season. If you can, treat yourself and others to a moment of peace. If it hasn’t been done by now, chances are it just won’t get done. And that’s got to be okay. You did your best. Maybe you and your nonprofit exceeded your fundraising goals for the year. Maybe you didn’t. Maybe you will sneak in a moment to create an online giving campaign before the year’s end, but maybe you won’t. Regardless of what you have done, or not done, the Christmas season is here and it’s time to think about the gifts of peace and love that are at the center of this holiday season. Whether you are a Christian, or not, this is an ideal time to place peace and love at the center of our days. You can wrap your peace and love in gratitude from your heart and see how your days unfold.
And so we take this moment to thank you – our readers – for being open to our suggestions throughout the year. Thank you for taking the time to read our words. We write this column as a gift to you. We want you to be successful and we want you to be able to work without feeling that your hair is on fire. Our culture is one that promotes always doing more, never being satisfied with your accomplishments, and always encouraging those we work with to strive for more. Yes, as people committed to the goals of our nonprofits, we feel a responsibility towards those we work with and for. We want to “make things happen.” That’s good. But for today – for now until the beginning of the new year – we encourage you to take time to be with family and friends. To be kind to strangers. To sleep late. To text a long-lost friend and to call your grandmother or another family elder you love.
Meditate on the meaning of peace and feel it within your heart. Reflect on the times when you have felt peace in your own life or witnessed its presence in the life of another. If you haven’t had the experience of peace, take this time to explore what your life – and the lives of others around the globe – might be like if peace were to reign in our collective hearts. We know you have a good heart – that’s what makes the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors so special. People who work and volunteer within nonprofits and/or philanthropy find a way to work with others to bring a shared vision of a better world to life. We are grateful to you, and we wish you the joy of this season. Thank you for all you do and for your willingness to be an example of peace. We – individually and collectively – can change the world. Let peace begin with me and you.
Copyright 2023 – Mel and Pearl Shaw of Saad&Shaw – Comprehensive Fund Development Services. Video and phone conferencing services always available. No need for a conference to learn with us! Let us help you grow your fundraising. Call us at (901) 522-8727 or visit www.saadandshaw.com.
