Hi, I think it's really cool you're thinking along these lines.
Giving to charity is great. I know you say it's not enough, but you might be able to get more out of it. I give to Watsi. When the email reports come in about the people who got medical treatment, I give them my full attention for a few minutes. I really look at the people and imagine that I know them. I try to think about them as if they are my dad or my mom. Or if they are a child, I think about how it would feel to be a parent, and not be able to afford care for my child, but then I'm saved by the generosity of a stranger. It can be very moving.
Another way to go is to just help people around you. You can take walks with the intention to just pay attention and see what's going on. Just look at peoples' faces and imagine how it feels to do their jobs. On my walks, I saw a lady sweeping the street every day, and people walking up and down the rows of waiting cars selling flowers. I eat at a certain cafeteria every day, and I watch the cleanup crews clean up mess after mess, silently and thanklessly. Earlier this year I handed out ten envelopes with happy new year cards and money, and said "happy new year" to them in the local language. My intention is just to say, I see what you do, and I care about you and want you to be well. I see many of them every day when I go out. There are opportunities to help everywhere. Every time you reduce suffering it's giving something good a chance to grow.
