I’ve been feeling very fortunate lately for a variety of reasons. Maybe the word is blessed. Not that everything in my life is rosy. There is definitely room for lots of improvement.  What I’m referring to is a certain sense of calm and peace of mind and acceptance that I don’t think I had when I was younger.

Maybe it is acceptance that comes with maturity.  Regardless, I do have lots of people to thank for whatever good I have.  We want to thank others for helping, but sometimes it is not about giving back, but giving forward. Giving to others, when the need arises.

When I was in college, and later on in my training as a music therapist, I got lots of help from the “big girls” and the “big guys.” Some provided supervision for me, and others helped me with my assignments. Still others helped with the impossible ear training exam that everyone had to pass. Then, when I began to work, I got ideas and tips from the ones who had already been working in the field for awhile. When I taught English at a local high school, I asked a lot of advice from the principal and others. Throughout all this, I felt a bit “guilty” (the Jewish guilt, huh?) for taking all their time. Even though they seemed fine with it (and I tried to be a good student), still – I didn’t feel 100% okay taking from others.

But, I did anyway. I needed them.

Now, it’s somewhat different. It began about 4 or 5 years ago when I started to get calls from others to help them with ideas, tips, lesson plans or whatever. I happily gave back, (within the time that I had), because I knew I was giving back for what I had taken all those years.

What goes around comes around. In the end, we all benefit. Sometimes we have to know where to draw the line; for example, at a website called Teacherspayteachers teachers actually sell their resources online. And others may charge for coaching or tutoring or mentoring. Still, any professional has to  give some services for free throughout their career. It is only being a mentsch. (a decent person – in Yiddish – for those non-glossary users).

Okay so here’s my pitch. It’s a contest similar to what  I recently read on a blog I enjoy:  Bottledworder’s blog.  She posed a challenge or contest to her many readers several weeks ago to give her feedback of how she can do things differently in 2013. Then she commented on her blog and “reblogged” about that blog (me!).  How validating was that to me? (very).

So here’s my chance to pay it forward. I would like to pitch to those who read this post to give me feedback of what they would like to see more of in this year of 2013.   Write  1 or 2 short paragraphs maximum. Let me know which topics resonate with you and which ones you would like to see more of. Should I stick with only grandmother and mother-in-law topics? Or should I continue to branch off sometimes into general insights?

Please send as a comment below — by January 19, 2013. I will pick  the one with the most useful information and that person will be the winner. That winner will be  reblogged on my blog (just as bottledworder did, on January 20th, 2013. In addition,  I will write a brief description, including what I like about that blog. And finally, the winner  will get a free book mailed to their house within a week after January 20th. (my book – “Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!”). However, I only will mail to addresses in the U.S. — please note. 🙂

Good luck!!