Changing the Present

Is anyone else having trouble shopping for the holidays this year? I sure am. I'm finding that I cannot buy things. I'm definitely in the spirit of the season, but things just aren't cutting it. For one, I have too many things myself. For two, I suspect that most everyone I know is in the same boat.

The story of the mad shoppers and the death of the Wal-mart employee stopped me in my shopping tracks. No thing, no matter what it is, is worth a living being. So what's a girl to do?

Enter Changing the Present -- the thought that counts.

I know. It's what my mother always said when some inappropriate gift would arrive from a well-meaning but misguided relative. Except, I know more these days, and it really is the thought that counts. Another way to say this is: thoughts really do count. A lot.

Thought, in the ideology of metaphysics, precedes manifestation. A whole lot of people thought about Barack Obama as president of the United States, and so he is now manifest as President-Elect Obama. Charles Fillmore, one of the co-founders of Unity, was known to say, "Thoughts are things."

And so they are. And Changing the Present is a spin on gift-giving that puts our thoughts for goodness, kindness, warmth, light and caring -- all holiday staples -- to good use. Consider first that a visitor to the site in invited to Choose a Cause. Then look at this remarkable list!

Basic Needs
• Disaster Relief
• Education
• Housing
• Human Rights
• Hunger
• Millennium Goals
• Water
Community
• Aging
• Arts & Culture
• Children & Youth
• Civil Society
• Peace
• Public Broadcast
• Refugees
• Veterans
• Women
Environment
• Agriculture
• Animal Welfare
• Environment
• Global Warming
Health and Safety
• Blindness & Vision
• Cancer
• Disabilities
• Global Health
• HIV/AIDS
• Landmines
• Medical Research
• Mental Health
• Population
Opportunity
• Microcredit
• Poverty Alleviation
• Social Entrepreneurs
• Technology

Do you think about the perils of poverty? Choose Poverty Alleviation.
Do you think about animals? Choose Animal Welfare.
Do you think about HIV/AIDS? Choose that.
Do you think about climate change? Choose Global Warming.
Do you think about water shortages? Choose Water.
Do you think about children's needs? Choose Children.

And my favorite: do you think about peace? Choose Peace.

Another way to dance through this changing of the need and use for presents at holiday time is: what do the people on your list think about? Choose the issues that mean something to them.

Fillmore is right, dear one. Thoughts truly are things, more valuable things than most things in themselves.

To change our future, we have to change the present.

Here's one way to give new meaning to the holy-days, and remember Art Buchwald while you're at it:

The best things in life aren't things.

Comments

[Robert Tolmach - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for the wonderful piece about charitable gifts at ChangingThePresent.org. Americans spend $250 billion a year buying presents for one another. Imagine the impact we could make together as some of that money is channeled to doing good. (Disclosure: CtP is a client of my firm).

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

I love this article! I am so on this page with you!

I've been thinking about this shopping whole thing and it's amazing, actually. I'm normally a pretty good shopper. Meaning, I love looking through stores, being with "stuff", and sometimes, actually buying stuff for myself or others. This year however, whatever "it" is, isn't there for me. It's like I can't "get it up" for shopping this year!

So I love the idea of finding or creating a cause. As you say, "thoughts are things". I think in terms of "consciousness aligns with itself". Thought patterns have a certain vibrational energy. Energy seeks out that which is complimentary, harmonious. And then those thoughts/energy patterns and vibrations condense into matter and become things.

I'd been thinking about how I might go forward with the political activism I experienced during the campaign. But it had to be in a way that aligned spiritually for me. And voila! The ideal possibility manifested. I'll be blogging about it soon.

My intention is to have each citizen of America participate in Obama's inauguration in a very potent and powerful way. Please stay tuned. Details at 11.

All the best to you, and thank you for this wonderful article!
Judith Rich

[PixWix]

I definately don't have "too many things for myself".... I can't imagine being in that position..lol
This year in fact I won't even being shopping w/ unexpected things coming up that have left me broke.....I can't even get things people are giving away on freecycle w/out transportation to pick them up!
So,I can't identify.......
Years past though I put a lot of thought into gifts believing home-made items or thrift store finds spruced up were far more thoughtful and meaningful gifts.
I was never big on the commercial aspect of the holiday so didn't deal w/ the over commmercial side of the holidays.
What I would like to do is find things people are getting rid of.... old purses,decorative boxes,broken jewelry,unfinished craft projects and make gifts from these then find an organization to give these home-made gifts to.
I would be thrilled w/ others unwanted "stuff" and find a way to give to others.