A modern phrasing for the Christian creed? A New Age mantra, perhaps, or a Hannah Montana song title?
We wouldn’t have guessed, but it’s the slogan on Coca-Cola cans!
Yes, the world’s largest purveyor of sweetened, carbonated water is now promoting how we can all have lives of meaning and fulfillment. Just drink Coke.
And you know, it’s not bad. The slogan, we mean. A little sweet and bubbly, like the soda itself, but there is substance to it: by giving of ourselves, we do live more fully and love others more completely.
The tag line from Coke’s current TV spots says, “Give a little love, and it all comes back to you.” Presumably, though, getting something back is not the reason we give love. Keeping score (does it really ALL come back?) doesn’t seem quite right. We suspect that if we only could give of ourselves more fully, then the love coming to us would be more than we could count.
The trick, ironically, is to give without thinking about what we might get back. Too often we make a little mental calculation: if I donate this, I’ll get some credit over here, I’ll be appreciated over there…. Those are normal thoughts, though you might try this once or twice: donate anonymously. It’s a thrill, to let the generosity speak for itself, with no worry about whether anyone knows who it was.
But in addition to giving of your wealth (and that’s how we all appear to those truly in need), consider giving of your time. It is the most precious asset we have, and so it communicates love like nothing else can. Giving a child in need a special present on Christmas is a wonderful kindness, even if it comes from a stranger. But befriending the child, spending time talking, laughing, dreaming – those gifts last forever.
We recall a sweet story of two college girls who wanted to do something good, and ended up at a shelter for homeless mothers in the nearby city. The mothers wanted nothing to do with them, but the girls kept coming back, week after week, even if just to hold the babies for a while. The message came through – “We’re not perfect; we’re just here.” The girls expressed their love simply by their reliable presence, and they became accepted and cherished by the mothers.
Here in Sonoma, the Mentoring Alliance offers an easy way for us to give of our time. The organization has a long waiting list of children hungry for adult friendship. As Coke would say, all the love you give to your “mentee” comes back to you many times over.
Special Olympics is a great way to bring joy to disabled youth (and it’s guaranteed to bring you immediate joy, too). The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley need volunteers, and there are many other opportunities here in Sonoma to give of yourself.
The TV commercial shows a bottle of Coca-Cola being consumed before a dozen good deeds are done. Promoting acts of kindness is a great message. Now if only it had MORE caffeine, we might be tempted to drink it.
And how about this slogan we found on Diet Coke: “Live Positively”? In our view, there’s no other way.
