Giving is getting

Yesterday I went to the beach with my family. As you know the beach has been a great gift to me. It's a place of inspiration and peace for me. Today was different though. Today was about giving back to the beach.

In honor of earth day my family went to the beach and picked up trash - all those bits and pieces that get left behind after a picnic, all the stuff that floats ashore, and all the balloons that got loose and finally fizzled out here.

I was expecting it to be "work". Yes, we took the whole family, including the dog, but that was more about making sure everyone was doing their part and giving back. The unexpected surprise was the fun we had. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun was shining, and everyone was happy. We just walked and talked, collecting trash on our way. Everyone felt good about what we were doing and it just spilled over.

That's the dichotomy that always seems to be involved in "giving back". No matter what you give, you always seem to get more in return. I love that!