'Tis the Season of Giving

This time of year I am so thankful for the kindness of strangers and can find it even in the most amazing places, even on-line.   For a year and a half I was a member of the Lords and Knights: France platform 7 (and 8 for a little bit.)  I had originally gotten into the game to practice my French, but found myself entrenched in a whole world of online communities that I didn't realize existed.  The realms disseminated themselves into teams.  Each team has their own personality.  My team consisted of people from all over the world from  throughout Europe, Viet-Nam, Mali, Canada, and the United States. We would go on raids on empty castles, battles against multiple enemies, and create small empires.  It was a game that taught me how  to work better with others, how to strategize more effectively, and how to read people/personalities online.  There was a considerable amount of altruism surprisingly being that we were all unknown to each other.  We each gave something of ourselves and made our team great.

Agar.io is another game that the younger generations are drawn to that emphasizes these same skills:  on-line teamwork, strategy, and "reading" personalities online.  Unlike Lords and Knights it is fairly anonymous who anyone is and there is no messaging other players for coordinating purposes.  Watching players they willingly give of themselves in the hopes that there will be another who will partner with them to form a team to grow to the largest size ball they can.  The coordination required to be at the top of the list is beautiful to watch as it is a mutual giving of each player, that doesn't have to be reciprocated, but is.  In this time of trouble and fear within in the world, it makes me consider that innately people are hard-wired to give freely of themselves, to encourage and help each other.  Consider the refugees from Syria, yes, there are still some waiting and in need, but how the world has responded! 

Giving doesn't just happen only online or on grand scales.  Generosity comes from the heart.  It starts with each of us in a kind work, a smile, and acknowledgement of another person.  May we live what is ingrained in us a human race and strive to work together and encourage each other.   It starts with you and with me.