Days 4 & 5: Perplexed

I'm already stuck! I'm not even a week into the Giving Challenge and I'm perplexed as to how to give. It's not that I struggle with giving. Actually, giving comes quite naturally to me. The challenge has been in doing it mindfully. To think about who, what, where, when, and how. Maybe I'm over-thinking it? I have been known to be an over-achiever, to analyze things over and over. I thought about when I asked the grocery clerk yesterday how he was doing while I made eye contact with him. Or today, when I was polite to someone who has hurt me. I wondered, "Could I count those times? Does it make a difference that I wasn't mindful under these circumstances?" Maybe I need to give myself a little leeway. It's not the goal so much as the journey. The journey of discovering how wonderful it can be to give, learning about myself in the process. Maybe this exercise gave to me again? Maybe it gave me the gift of patience, acceptance, or forgiveness. Maybe I should just let go and enjoy the journey!