It was a day filled with opportunities to be the change I want to see in the world through many shared smiles.

A woman at the grocery store behind me in the self-help check-out line, troubled she sounded rude when she pointed something out to me, apologizes. I smile, touch her arm and tell her I didn’t think she was rude. I appreciated her direction as I wasn’t paying attention. We wish eachother a ‘good-day’ and we part on a note of laughter. A smile and thanks from the man at the next gaspump. “Your tire looks a bit flat,” I tell him. And it was. And the favour is returned when I leave my sunglasses on the counter and a woman runs after me to hand them back to me. A man with a dog at the park laughs when I warn him as we approach eachother that Ellie, my golden retriever, sometimes like to share her big girl attitude with small dogs. We pass each other with enough distance to preserve the dignity of everyone and he calls back that he appreciates my letting him know — his dog likes to nip at big dog’s ears. That would not have been pretty.

Little things that add up to moments of grace. Moments of sharing smiles and laughter and kindness.

And then, in my email, the link to the TEDxCalgary talks where I shared, “Lessons in Love: How Volunteering Saved My Life” in November. Sending the link and having my sister write back her impressions of my talk, I am reminded — giving is receiving. And in the remembering the excitement and wonder of that day, I receive again the sense of gratitude I felt being part of it.

And the difference of that day ripples out as I share TEDxCalgary, November 18, 2011 — Volunteer… Even Better.

Below is my talk — and this is the link to all of them — do take the time to visit all the speakers — they are all amazing. And, you’ll be inspired watching so many people shine!

All ten speakers:  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL41E9A5C6E42C501A