Recently I took a train to visit my family and needed to retrieve my pillow from my checked bag. I asked the agent if I could get the pillow out of the luggage when we made the transfer. That is possible to do when traveling by rail, but not always easy.

The agent went out of his way to find the bag in transit and bring it to me. When I gave him a tip for the favor, he smiled at me and said, “No you keep it.” I was really touched by this. This may seem like a small gesture, but it felt mighty big to me as the pillow helped me to sleep comfortably on the train.

As we buy our presents, wrap our gifts, cook and bake for parties and dinners, we need to stop, breathe and take in what we are doing. Sometimes we focus on the result and rush to get through the process without appreciating what is happening in the moment.

What I love most about giving gifts, is finding something that really fits the person.

It’s always a joy for me to give something that the other person loves and enjoys. I enjoy giving gifts as much as receiving them.

Let’s think about all of the kind deeds we can do at this time of year. Bringing someone a meal, folding their laundry and sending a special note, go a long way in giving kindness and bringing joy to others.