What book are you thankful for today? This may be a strange question nowadays, seeing as though I hardly know anyone my age that reads for pleasure. I’m a huge reader myself – currently reading the Game of Thrones series. I’ve read multiple series over and over (*ahem* Harry Potter), and love picking up a good book to relax with. Surprisingly, when I think of the book I am most thankful for, it isn’t a long novel, or a book in a series I’ve read. The book I am most thankful for is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

I proudly can say that I still own this book, and yes, I still read it. Reading for pleasure is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Reading serves many purposes, especially if the reading you’re doing is from your favorite childhood book. The Giving Tree is the first book I actually remember reading, and I also remember sobbing like a baby. I was so moved by the storyline that I wanted to read it everyday. I wanted to be just like the tree, and give until I couldn’t give anymore. Many things can factor into the person you become in college, but I would like to believe that this book is part of the reason I am who I am. Because of The Giving Tree, I started volunteering at a young age. I became a little advocate for everything that had to do with using your free time to help others. Soon, I found myself in college, where I barely have time to sleep, let alone volunteer. But of course, I didn’t let that stop me. I spent my spring break volunteering in the Dominican Republic, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I won’t go on too much about the trip because I know I’ll go off on a tangent, but the main takeaway is that I came back feeling more like myself than ever. Fully immersing myself in a volunteer experience like this gave me the same feeling as reading The Giving Tree. I was so happy and willing, all I wanted to do was continue to volunteer.

Today’s tip towards positivity is:
Be a Giving Tree

Even when life gets crazy, and you find yourself in a rut, try to take time to do any small act of kindness. Even if you aren’t able to go on a volunteer trip, or don’t have the opportunity to volunteer in your area, be sure to take a moment out of your day to do something nice – something that can help another person. Helping others makes you feel so good about yourself, and sometimes you need that pick me up.