Sharing Love for the Common Good
February has arrived, and love is in the air. At Doing Good Together ™ we believe Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to harness the power of love for the common good.
The “common good” has been around since the time of Greek philosophers – the idea that if we all cooperate and work together, we can make the world a better place. And that is what you do so passionately with your children. You come together as a family and with friends, to make a difference in the world.
And here is the good news – this formula has benefits all the way around. Your kids get to spread love and kindness through activities that spark joy. You have an opportunity to join with others – which improves emotional intelligence, communication, and teaches collaboration (which is a part of everyday life). And, by focusing on the community, you teach your kids to “give back” in fun ways that feel good and have health benefits too.
So this February, keep doing what you are doing. Harness the power of love! Together, you can read, serve, act, advocate, and come together for the common good.
– MiaLisa Millares, Executive Director
ACTION
How can we harness the power of love for our communities and spread kindness this February?
Celebrate Love and Kindness: Use this 28 Days of Kindness for Families calendar to send ripples of love and kindness throughout your family and community by embracing one kindness each day.
Get Crafty: Spend some time creating Valentine cards to share love and kindness with the community around you.
Give Big-Hearted Gifts: If Valentine’s gift-giving is part of your traditions, try giving gifts that spread kindness and love all year, such as our Kitchen Table Kindness Kits. You can even donate to DGT in honor of your big-hearted Valentine!
Explore History and Champion Equality: Learn more about our history. Talk to people. Listen to stories. Seek truth. Then work through love to motivate change.
Animal Lovers: If you want to spread love through the community, what better way than to help out your animal friends. Try this recipe for dog treats or make birdseed cookies, then share them with friends, or raise funds for an animal shelter near you.
Organize a community campaign: Hold a family meeting to determine how you want to harness love for the common good this year. Use your family interests and passion to organize a food drive to help with food insecurity, visit a food packing organization, assemble kits for the homeless or find one of our countless volunteer opportunities.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
These questions can get you thinking about love and the common good.
Brainstorm a list of different types of love your family experiences (or shares).
Who are the people in your life that you love? Why?
How do you care for those who you love? How do they care for you?
What activities do you love that also provide opportunities to give back to others?
What is the common good?
What does it mean to contribute to the common good?
Is it essential to do so? If so, why?
What would it look like to give up something important to you for the common good? How would it feel? Could you have lots of different feelings? Why?
How are love, respect, peace, and the common good connected?
READ
This month, as you are thinking about love and how it can spark kindness that works toward the common good, consider reading some of these books for inspiration.
INSPIRATION
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
— Helen Keller