I got together with my gal pals for book group this past week.

In advance of the gathering, the other Deb sent out an email with a copy of an appeal she saw on Freecycle. She invited our group to participate if they felt compelled.

Will pick up anywhere in the city. I am requesting empty shoe boxes, toiletries, simple gift cards, books, gloves, hats, non-perishable items for 10 families of homeless students at my child’s school. I am creating shoe boxes that I will fill and give out soon, around Thanksgiving. Any help would be great. Thank you in advance.

I loved the idea!

I found myself thinking about the tag line of a frequently run commercial for a bank credit card.  After talking about the purchasing power and perks of having the RIGHT credit card, a celebrity poses the question, What’s in your wallet? 

As I considered my list and scoured my closets for the requested cardboard containers, I asked a different question.

What’s in your shoebox?

After locating three boxes, I thought about what I wanted to put in them.

I don’t travel for work and mindlessly steal away miniature shampoo and lotion bottles from hotels to form a collection of giveaways.  I don’t have children or grandchildren that might have clothes they have outgrown.

Besides, I wanted to make gifts of new things.  I realized I valued the experience of having something new.

Many years ago, I took a workshop on wealth and prosperity consciousness based on principles forwarded by Frederic Lehrman.

The main themes may have seemed a little crazy to me at the time, having grown up in a very middle-middle class home, but they made some sort of intuitive sense.

According to his plan, prosperity consciousness is achieved when you successfully manage different aspects of your relationship with money: earning; spending; saving; investing; and giving it away.

The idea that giving things away that inspire you or that reflect your values held an important place in this system.  As I shopped for new items to put in my shoeboxes, I thought about  what a homeless child might need, but I found myself also thinking about often overlooked things in my life that I valued in a personal way.

By looking at what I wanted to give away, I really came to some new understandings about what’s important to me.

I went to Target and walked to the aisle where they have travel or trial sizes of things.  Then I wheeled my cart to the grocery section.  I made a final selection at the check-out.  The following items made it into each of my shoeboxes.

Skin lotion

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Small packs of facial tissues

Deodorant

Tubes of Chapstick

Wash cloth

A container of wet-wipes

Small first-aid kit

Warm socks

A Kind Bar

A couple packets of hot cocoa

A $10 gift card

I realized some of my selections had to do with hygiene and social acceptance.  I realized that it was important to me to feel that I was easy and pleasant to be around.

I might not like everybody, or be liked by everybody, but I certainly didn’t want people to avoid me because I smelled.

Some selections were about comfort.  I thought about what I’d want to fortify myself with in order to combat harsh Midwestern winters.

The inclusion of the gift card was about CHOICE and personal freedom.  While it is hard to imagine life without food or a Band-Aid, I know I really need to feel  empowered to make some choices in my life.

I know $10 isn’t much, but I figured a kid could apply this amount to buy a toy or a DVD or notebook for school or even to use this money towards a Christmas gift for someone he loves.

What would life be like without CHOICE?

Taking time to notice and be grateful for the little things in your life is no small thing.

Social acceptance. Comfort.  Personal power.  What’s in your shoebox?