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If Happiness Was Your Currency ...
As we served 111 guests yesterday, one thing that particularly stood out for me was how people engaged in small acts of gratitude. A woman gave us a hand-made thank-you card with her own photography, one guest offered a signed copy of her book to Keith, one man visiting KK after a long time insisted on giving me his tie!, another on Nancy's table gifts her a hand-made bracelet, Leena's guest gives her a "You Are Loved" card, another guest gives us a plant that we asked Vishnu-ji (our chef) to pay forward. It was just non-stop gratitude from all sides. :) One of the KK coordinators sent in hand-baked brownies for all volunteers in the back, and while someone else left us chocolates to snack on. :) Across the board, whether is it was Keena-Janice-Li constantly smiling while plating or the unflappable team of Midhun-Kanan-Amy giving Juan a run for the money, :) generosity was abound in our small acts. People abundantly gave out hugs and smiles, as all the guests reflected on the insightful question of the day: "If happiness was our currency, what kind of work would you do?"
Keith went through all the notes and musings that our guests wrote for our theme of the day and said, "I'm blown away by all the responses, let alone the art that accompanied it!"
If happiness were the currency, my work would be ... gardening & juggling & playing fiddle; helping at risk youth climb trees and produce music that uplifts the spirit; become a master pizza-maker; someone who puts their head out of the window when driving in the summer in the country ("A breeze detector"); lead a safari that helps protect the animals and the photographers; bike messenger who doesn't work the AM-shift; organize community, grow food, sing, dance, spend time with babies. Serve @ Karma Kitchen! For happiness I would work growing food, preparing and sharing the hearty healthy food. Aw Yeah! If happiness is currency then working has ceased to exist and thus I only must exist in the happiness with fellow happy humans! Spreading happiness. Playing Music. Helping people feel "that feeling" and the connectedness to the spirit of life and the excitement, energy, love, and appreciation that comes with it. My work would be to grow food, cook it and share it with everyone. Happiness is a currency; each day we're paying people with our energy; as we keep our energy high, we pay each other in happiness all the time.
If happiness was the currency, every place just might be like Karma Kitchen! It elevates people into a heart of gratitude and that ripples of goodness continues onwards without an end.
Thank you, all!
--Keith on Dec 25, 2011
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