I was surprised to see 23 Hive freshly delivered to my wallet by my friend @elizabethbit. I'm glad I was paying attention! (I case it's not obvious, this is not always the case.)
I went to her blog intending to find a post I could comment on and thank her for the Hive, and that's when I saw this post about the #HiveAdvent initiative started by @bozz.
Source: Pixabay
The concept works like an Advent calendar, which many of us are familiar with. It is a way to do a countdown to Christmas. For kids, it's absolutely great because it gives them something exciting to look forward to each day until the Big Day. My kids loved it, since there was usually a piece of chocolate waiting for them in the little flap they got to open in the calendar each day.
For Hive Advent, the idea is to pay it forward. I love initiatives like that. You simply keep one Hive and pass the rest on to someone else, preferably about a day after receiving our own. I thought of the people I know on Hive who are here pretty much every day and who I trust to check their notifications and/or wallet, and @litguru came to mind.
Hive Advent rules from @bozz:
Religion doesn't matter. It doesn't even matter if you celebrate Christmas. This is just something fun to do.
Don't keep all the HIVE for yourself. The idea is for you to keep one HIVE and then pass the rest on. Be sure you can trust the person you send this to before you send the HIVE.
Try to wait a day before you send along the remaining HIVE. The idea is that by the time we reach Christmas we are at 1 HIVE left and the last person keeps that.
When you send the HIVE please put Hive Advent in the memo field.
"I don't want to mess up anyone's posting schedule," says @bozz, "but try to write a post about when you send the HIVE. Please use the tag #hiveadvent and try to include these rules in the post so the next person knows what to do."
So there you have it! It's just a way to pass on some fun. And fun is something we all need more of. This time of year, I love anything that helps me pause amidst the holiday hubbub and do something meaningful or that benefits others, even if it's small.
And here's a little story.
Today, it was 7 degrees Fahrenheit in Minnesota, with a harsh wind. I was out and about for a funeral and some other activities and it was just brutal. At once point I ran into a store, and left my car running with my sister sitting in the passenger seat. I dashed past a young man standing outside the door asking for change. I was in too big of a hurry to notice him, and the wind was howling so I didn't hear what he said.
But once inside the store, I just realized that the person I had run past was standing outside the store hoping for a handout. I couldn't stand it. I went through the store and grabbed what I needed plus some packets of hand warmers. I paid with cash to break a $50 bill so I would have some smaller bills to give to the guy outside the store along with the hand warmer packets. I couldn't believe he was standing out there. It was truly deadly cold, especially with that intolerable icy wind.
But as I was standing there at the checkout, I saw the man leave his spot outside the store. No doubt he had to go find someplace warmer where he could go inside for a while. (The clerk at the store I was in said they don't allow people to loiter.)
So I missed my chance to help the guy out. It was a busy area. I had no idea where he had gone. There was nothing left to do but to get inside my nice warm car and hope that he would find shelter. It makes me ache to think about it. I couldn't stand being outside for five minutes, even in my warm coat.
I won't say something trite like "be kind" or "think of others this holiday season." But I do think if we all take the opportunity to spread some kindness from time to time, it'll help make the world a better place.
Happy Holidays!
Photo credits: All of the photos in this post were taken by me and belong to me, unless otherwise noted.
My bio: I am a fiction writer and photographer based in Minnesota. I have had a lifelong love of fiction writing. I earned my MFA in writing from the University of New Hampshire. My short stories have appeared in a range of literary journals and anthologies, and my first short story collection, Somewhere in Minnesota is available on Amazon US as well as international Amazon sites., Barnes & Noble or from the publisher.
Want to know what I'm publishing and where? Visit my website, www.jaynalocke.com, or follow me on X, aka Twitter, at www.twitter.com/@jaynatweets or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/authorjaynalocke.
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