When you need help, help another. When you need compassion, be compassionate. When you need love, give it freely. When you crave connection, reach out. When you can't go on any longer, encourage someone. When you need understanding, listen. When you're angry, try to understand.

It's been a remarkably awful year. A global pandemic, unscrupulous politicians, biased media pundits. You can be comfortable with being uncomfortable, but 2020 has been insanely difficult to motivate even the most resilient among us.

I have lots of experience being out of work. It happened to me three times in a two-year span. Five times total throughout my career. I'm only 40, so that's a pretty impressive streak. Also - I split up a business partnership. I didn't read the fine print of our contract. I battled my partner for almost a year. I made almost no money.

Two years ago, my Father had come home from the hospital and was settling in for the evening. Leaving his room that night, I kissed him and told him I loved him. He called to me. "Christopher!" I turned, standing in the doorway and replied: "yeah Dad?" He said, "keep up the good work." I replied, "ok, Dad." I sort of chuckled to myself at the absurdity of the comment. No context. A simple directive. I didn't think much of it and went about my evening. Those would be the last words my Father would ever speak to me. It's difficult to write that sentence. It was two years ago, and as I write this I can feel a deep swell of emotion in my chest. I used to run from that emotion. Dad was ill for six years. I didn't allow myself to feel the terror of his terminal diagnosis of ALS-Lou Gehrig's disease. I drank a scotch to numb the pain. I worked too much to avoid speaking about my pain with my wife. I lost myself.

I'm not sure when I first fell in love with you. It may have been when we first met when I was 5. Or it may have been that time I told you I was going to marry you while on our first date. We were only dating 10 months when I asked for your hand. How well can you know a person after less than a year? But I knew.

The magic of giving for the sake of giving is that it's contagious.  This fact is becoming more and more apparent as I get deeper into my 69 day challenge.  All sorts of friends and family have been reaching out to me to offer gifts - largely…