Thanksgiving Note

~ Maquinna, Nootka Chief, early nineteenth century ~
"Once I was in Victoria, and I saw a very large house. They told me it was a bank, and that the white men place their money there to be taken care of, and that by and by they got it back, with interest. We are Indians, and we have no such bank; but when we have plenty of money or blankets, we give them away to other chiefs and people, and by and by they return them, with interest, and our hearts feel good. Our way of giving is our bank. "

I was reminded by this quote that giving may have physical as well as metaphysical benefits. A study at John Hopkins University, for example, showed that older adults who volunteered in troubled urban schools demonstrated an improvement in their own mental and physical health. So how can it not be win-win for everyone to be thankful and to be giving.

Happy Thanksgiving Day.

References: please see specific links.
Photo courtesy of: greatdreams.