Heck, go a step further and do something for a stranger!

As Americans we tend to not " moderate " as much as we can or should, everything seems to have to be bigger or more is better is a popular flavor.

It's not hard to understand how the rest of the world views us and why, especially less developed countries or as we're witnessing now from the Middle East, leaders who have amassed great amounts of wealth while keeping the people in poverty. Protests of outrage continue.

I've been re-training myself to live simply and think more of others. I've cut the unnecessary spending on things like expensive cable tv, which by the way no matter how many channels you have you may only watch one at a time but you PAY for all of them! It's a gimmick out of control.

One day I looked around my home and said to myself, " this isn't a home - a place of refuge and shelter. This is a damn museum!" It wasn't until I cut off the " stimulating " cable tv that my mind settled and I began to see things as they really are. Without tv and commercials I'm not emotionally strong armed, co-erced or tempted to buy into the silly ideas they  call " something we can't live without." I am also not made to feel less than or guilty because I don't have this product or that new gadget most of which don't make life any easier.

I am also much more satisfied with what I have left after giving away or selling rather cheap most of my household items and toys, as a matter of fact I made up my mind to downsize in ALL areas of my life where material things are concerned and I've settled for PRACTICAL instead of clever, fancy and namebrands.

I also GIVE more and do so spontaneously. We always have an opportunity if we're listening and paying attention to what is going on around us to help another or just plain old dig in your pocket and say "here, have a nice day."

AND because the stress to keep up or stay ahead or stay on top of the rising bills is gone I smile more often and smiles are contagious. Pay it forward as a lady remarked to me today at Avalon.

Our time and money should be precious and of concern to us. If we respect time and money then we won't waste it. If we're not wasting it there's more to go around. If there's more to go around there's less greed, with less greed more people have what they need. And when we have what we need and less what we want, we appreciate what we have.Value becomes part of our vocabulary. And when we place value on what we have instead of what we need we're happy and satisfied, grateful or we should be.

Here's a word you don't hear often in this country of ours when it comes to unnecessary spending- stingy.

Do you know why?

Because if people became stingy the unnecessary spending would stop and when the unnecessary spending stops those people who are stealing your hard earned cash will have to find a new line of business!

When we get off our duffs from in front of the tv and actually go outside perhaps we might see where we could invest our time more wisely. We might even see for the first time in a long time that our neighbor could use a hand. We might even volunteer time to a charity or organization.

We should celebrate a day called "unlpug your house day " where for one day (maybe more) we unplug everything in our homes and use alternatives methods or do activities where WE actually entertain our friends, relatives or neighbors! Heck, go a step further and do something for a stranger!