The past one week had been an awesome and enriching experience, since I began "soliciting" for donations for this charity event I am doing with Shirly and other fellow yoga mates on this coming Saturday, 15 December 2012.
How it works:
1. I've pledged to do 30 Sun Salutation within an hour
2. Every Sun Salutation is S$1.00 in donation, i.e. S$30.00 in total
3. Shirly will match S$1.00 for every completed Sun Salutation I - and all the participants - do on 15 Dec (kudos to her!!)
And so an idea sparked that I can start a donation drive for this event through seeking donations for the Sun Salutations I have pledged. I figured this could be in the form of a request that this be my Christmas Gift from my friends this year, when I ask that the monetary amount spent on my gift be donated to this meaningful cause instead. No amount will be too less, for every dollar of a donation will be a motivational force for me to work towards the number of Sun Salutations I have pledged - even a S$1.00 donation can still go a long way when I'm struggling at my 29th set of Sun Salutation!
This is the first donation drive I have ever done, and I am not sure of how this would go. Issues of pride, confidence and ego were surfaced as I debated on whether or not should I be doing this. What if nobody supports? What if the expectation fall short? Will I hold grudges if so? What if people think I am so "thick skinned" as to think I am expecting a Christmas gift from them? What if I fail?
But in the end, I decide to just let go of these thoughts and surrender my intent to the Universe. I will start the appeal, and accept what comes. I draw on the faith to always believe something wonderful is coming my way, and that everything I need will come to me at the right time - and that includes support from the right people.
And I am amazed by how Universe begins to echo my intents. From the first S$2.00 donation I received that kept my hopes up when the initial response was slow, the first S$30.00 donation which deeply touched my heart for the love I feel and the subsequential S$30.00 donations that greatly motivated me to work doubly, triply, quadruply (and then what? I almost lost count!) hard to complete the 30 Sun Salutations I have pledged, to the ultimate jaw-dropping proposal of having S$2.00 donation pledged to every Sun Salutation I do if I can complete 30 sets and S$3.00/sun salutation for the 31st, 32nd, 33rd etc sun salutation (and another friend matching the proposed donations!), I am totally humbled by the generosity and FULL support from friends who have always been close to heart.
My dreams were small but the kind thoughts and blessings I received from these friends have turned them into a big achievement that I have never quite thought it was possible. I am truly grateful.
The Sun Salutation is a sequence of yoga poses that is fundamental to yoga practitioners, and is completed through a gentle, gradual flow of pose changes controlled by an inhalation or exhalation of breathe. With all the support I receive, not only is a drip of sweat and a moment of perseverance held meaningful for the children of Operation Shanti and myself, but every breath I take for each pose in the Sun Salutation will also be for YOU.
Your donation has been more valuable than any material gift that I ever receive from your kind thoughts this Christmas - for it gives a healthy boost to my self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in a way you did not know. It also ignites a sense of accomplishment that I never felt before. And most importantly, it shows me what these - compassion, an open mind, a willingness to do whatever is needed, and a positive attitude - truly mean and FEEL.
.
.
.
.
With heart-felt appreciation, NAMASTE (I bow to you)!! *deep, humble bow*
"Sometimes we have to contribute to help other people, but sometimes we need to contribute to help ourselves. When we step into our discomfort zones and contribute beyond ourselves, we grow, we experience the world in a different way, we gain new perspectives from which to be thankful."
- The Minimalists
