I came across an entry in a website called “Daily Routines” about how writers, artists and other interesting people organize their days. (This was a link from another of my fave sites veryshortlist.com.) At 5 a.m. Benjamin Franklin would “rise, wash, and address powerful goodness.” The great thinker and inventor would also ask himself daily: “What good shall I do this day?” In the evening there was supper and music and examination of the day as well as asking himself another question: “What good have I done today?”
This simple, powerful guide to living is from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . “What good shall I do this day?” stuck with me. It got me thinking about our popular feature called “Pass It On—People Helping People.” For years we’ve been publishing unique ways our millions of readers are helping others—from getting suitcases to foster kids who formerly carried their belongings in plastic garbage bags to putting a basket of breakfast goodies on the doorstep of a neighbor whose husband was in the hospital. So when I ask myself, “What good will I do today?” I know I can turn to our “Pass It On” feature to get some ideas. For starters I can pass this along. Hope you do too.
Celeste is a senior editor at GUIDEPOSTS.
