Charity begins in the heart and Santa Cruz is no different than anywhere else.

Was reading a recent blog post about the charity of heart. As opposed ot the charity of the wallet, such as for me Boys/Girls Club, Big Brother/Sister and Alzheimers. Yes I know, I have the beginning, and the end. Well as I sell Santa Cruz Real Estate, people make those changes when they get kids, and when they are too old for a home, or it does not meet their needs. Santa Cruz homes come in all sizes, mostly smaller, so finding the right one is sometimes challenging. Some do charitable selling or charitable remainder trusts( CRT) where they donate their Santa Cruz real estate, which get sold, and produces some great charitable, and tax benefits too.

In reading the blog it made think of all the different things that we as realtors come across, do, in the name of charity. Then I think about the topic of the blog, and that is a real act of charity. In some senses, charity is love of your fellow man. While I don't often go out and "do" charity things as I did when I was younger, I do contribute financially to a variety of charities. I guess in some sense, having kids, is one charity we contribute to daily or weekly, but you don't know that until they are teenagers or pre-teens. So adopting one, from another culture is a real leap of faith of charity. Adpoting from an orphanage has to be akin to( I would guess from a kids perspective) the hand of god lifting one out of the hopelessness they have gotten into.

Charity is also how we look at ourselves as human beings. Are we good and loving to ourselves? Chances are, if we don't have as many good and charitable thoughts about ourselves, we won't feel so inclined towards others. So I guess, in a sense, charity begins at home, with me. How am I towards myself? Am I good towards myself, others, my clients, with their interests at heart?

With some much needed, at least you can give a smile, and as any guy knows, a smile from a gal can rock their world. Try giving a bunch of smiles to young and old as your gift to charity, and you will have done wonders for many. You give and you will recieve, but giving is not the expectation of receiving, it is the pleasure in doing so. Have a great loving holiday season, ..... and remember to smile, and toss a few coins into those kettles too, or write some checks to those charities you favor.