An Invincible Summer Within

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer” — Albert Camus

As we approach the winter and holiday season, I brace myself for the added holiday pressures but especially for what has become a key time for infection prevention protocols.  Memories of the last five years are fresh and vivid for many of us. It can be a challenge to embrace the happy holiday “spirit” — so I try to take bits of time to pause, breathe and make a conscious effort to generate some gratitude from within. This morning a favorite upbeat tune brought the true spirit of giving that the holidays are meant to inspire: Give a Little Bit by Supertramp. 

Rediscovering the Spirit of Giving

The spirit of giving is part of the American culture that I grew up with, and with 1 in 10 children living in poverty, we need that spirit to motivate us to make a difference wherever we can today.  Many choices and ways to give abound in our county. It could be through your local school’s giving tree program, a neighborhood church, or the Redwood Empire Food Bank that is helping families access food in the midst of interrupted federal benefits.

A Song That Inspires Connection

The simple act of listening to Supertramp this morning gave me the opportunity to pause and reset my thoughts.  Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:

Give a little bit

Give a little bit of your love to me

I’ll give a little bit

I’ll give a little bit of my love to you

There’s so much that we need to share

So send a smile and show you care (alright)

I’ll give a little bit

I’ll give a little bit of my life for you

So give a little bit

Give a little bit of your time to me

See the man with the lonely eyes

Oh, take his hand, you’ll be surprised (oh, take it)

The Story Behind “Give a Little Bit”

Roger Hodgson of Supertramp recorded this song in 1977 but had been working on it since his teen years when he was inspired by the 1960s Beatles’ song “All You Need Is Love.” Hodgson shared what inspired him to write what became one of his top 10 favorites, saying:

“Even at an unwizened young age when I wrote this song, I saw that the world needed love. I believed in love – it was always for love – and I just felt that was the most important thing in life. This song has really taken on a life of its own, and I think it’s even more relevant today than when I wrote it. Because we really are needing to value love in a much deeper way, and also we’re needing to care.”

A Joyful Reminder to Give a Little Bit

This will absolutely make your day — take a listen to Roger Hodgson singing it with many thousands of fans joining in:

RogerHodgson.com – Lyrics – Give a Little Bit

Community Updates: Caring in Action

Recent regulation updates for assisted living facilities can be found here: California DSS Assisted Living Updates