There comes a time in everyone's life when they need the help of another. Most of us have experienced this already in our adult lives, and many of us have been the recipient of another's generosity. As wonderful as it feels to be on the receiving end, an even better feeling is to be able to be on the giving end. As we approach this season of gift giving, it is easy, particularly for children, to get caught up in the materialistic focus of receiving rather than of giving.

If you haven't seen the movie "Pay It Forward" (www.payitforward.com). I hope you will make time to do so. The movie is about a boy who is given a school project to design a plan to change the world. He is skeptical about how one person can change the world. His plan, however, is to "Pay It Forward" — that is to help at least three other people, who in turn should then help three other people when they are able (as repayment for having been helped), and so on.

Although we can never be certain that someone will hold true to their promise to repay a good deed by helping others, I know that having been on the receiving end, each time I have the opportunity to help another, I remember having been helped. During my divorce, I received an anonymous donation with supportive and encouraging words and a simple request: that if I am able to someday help another, to repay by doing so. As I help others, I remembered that assistance and hope only for the same type of "repayment."

As a parent, I strive to teach my children many lessons about life. One lesson is that I hope to teach them that life isn't so much about what we get as it is about what we give, and that happiness is not equated with dollar signs — not an easy thing to do with so much propaganda and media daily promoting the opposite. With that in mind, I really enjoyed seeing the movie "Pay It Forward" with my children. It opened the door to a wonderful discussion with them about helping others, how we in turn get a gift — feeling good about helping someone else. We also talked about how when we are able to help another anonymously, it has an added element of secretive fun.

There are so many opportunities all around us every day to assist others in need. Often we don't even have to seek them out, they present themselves to us, particularly at this time of year: food, clothing, toy and blanket drives; Salvation Army Santas ringing their bells; "angel" trees with children's wish lists and needs listed, etc.

As a single mom, I haven't always been able to contribute financially from our household to these causes, however, we can always donate our time. The lesson my children learn, the feeling we get from knowing we've helped others, is well worth our "quality" time.

Perhaps your work or a volunteer organization/program needs assistance organizing, collecting or delivering donations. Food shelters are often overwhelmed this time of year and desperately need assistance sorting donated food items. A boy in our area last year for his 11th birthday wanted to do something different for his birthday party and wanted to make a difference. For his birthday party activity, he and his guests spent time sorting items at a food shelter. All of the guests afterwards commented how much fun they'd had and that they left feeling good knowing they had helped their community as well.

Opportunities to help others abound if we just look for them. Use these as bonding time with your family, or as time shared with others as well. My children enjoy the activity even more when their friends can participate. Each year, my children and their friends have selected a name from a local "angel" tree and pool their resources to be able to purchase items. Whenever permitted, my children participate in community involvement events from work. We walk and run in various 5K's each year to support local charities. Other suggestions for activities to participate in or even organize yourself include:

• Litter pick-ups (use gloves and caution however to avoid sharp items or glass)
• Book or toy drives for local children's hospitals or shelters
• New and used sports equipment drives for children's recreation programs
• Visiting senior citizen's centers or hospices to sing, play games and/or just visit to share a smile and conversation. They love hand made decorations, cards and gifts from visiting children, too.
• Sew layette gowns or small quilts for patients at a children's hospital
• Making meal tray decorations for the patients at a hospital.
• Sew, knit or crochet lap blankets for senior citizens or hospital patients
• Put together personal care bags for women's abuse shelters (small bags containing personal hygiene and care items as they often leave home without any personal belongings)
• Trick or Treat for UNICEF