giving

It takes more than cutting the occasional cheque or piling stacks of presents under the tree — generosity has to become a habit.

I was walking home last week and I was feeling pretty great about myself. I had just finished a "working" coffee with friends, where we gossiped and made travel plans through semi-productivity. It was a fresh, sunny, satisfying autumn day and I found myself deliberately kicking up the leafs.

Recently, I was in a small mountaintop village in Crete, watching an elderly woman work on a loom. (I know, I know. I didn't expect it, either.)

I'm working on a story about random acts of kindness, and that means that I have to dedicate a considerable chunk of my time to making an effort to be nice.

It's "holiday season" yet again, which means that the pressure is officially on. Have you been able to find the appropriate meaningful gift for everyone on your list?