In Which I Indulge In Some Giving Therapy

I was feeling a little out of sorts today, so I dropped by our local grocery store where a food drive was going on. 

I had to go to the grocery store anyway because we needed some cough drops; it looks like Jeremy and I are both coming down with something. I'm assuming it's either strep throat or RSV. My bet is on RSV, because I'm pretty sure we're both out of the incubation period window for contracting Connor's strep throat. The good news is that Connor sounded significantly better today, and I think he's probably out of the woods as far as the possibility of pneumonia or bronchitis are concerned. With any lucky he'll actually be able to go to school on Monday. Whoo hoo!

But anyway, back to the food drive.  When I'm down in the dumps I like to indulge in what I call "giving therapy."  Basically it's like retail therapy, only instead of buying things for me I'm giving something to somebody else-- in this case, goods for the food bank.  It doesn't have to be something with monetary value; doing something nice for somebody else just makes me feel better.  It always reminds me of that old poem by an unknown author:

                                                           How To Be Happy

                                         Are you almost disgusted with life, little lad?
                                              I'll tell you a wonderful trick. 
                                         That will bring you contentment, if anything can,
                                              Do something for somebody, quick!

                                        Are you awfully tired of play, little girl?
                                              Wearied, discouraged and sick--
                                        I'll tell you the loveliest game in the world,
                                              Do something for somebody, quick!

                                        Though it rains, like the rain of the flood, little man,
                                             And the clouds are forbidding and thick,
                                        You can make the sun shine in your soul, little man,
                                             Do something for somebody, quick!

                                        Though the stars are like brass overhead, little girl,

                                             And the walks like a well-heated brick,

                                        And our earthly affairs in a terrible whirl,

                                             Do something for somebody, quick!

Only in my head, it's recited by Boris Badenov and is modified to "Do something to somebody, quick!"  I blame it on my Rocky-And-Bullwinkle-heavy childhood.  And also on the fact that I'm weird. 

Anyway, apparently by helping other people (note-- actually helping, not helping the Boris Badenov way) I'm doing myself a favor too-- science backs me up on this one.  Turns out that helping people can not only make you feel better, but it can actually make you live longer too!  Crazy, huh?  Plus I'm not much of one for retail therapy-- I don't really need more stuff. 

Besides chocolate of course.  I can always use more chocolate.

~Jess