Over the past two weeks I’ve been off-loading unwanted items via my local Freecycle group, and so far it has brought nothing but a huge smile to my face.
The most touching experience involved my old Dunlop Maxply Forte wooden tennis racket, dating back to the late 70s/early 80s. At the time I and my cola-fuelled school-chums travelled to the Wimbledon Championships each year to watch our favourite players. Indeed, John McEnroe played with a Maxply Forte, and not only that but he had the same double-handed grip that I had, an important detail that had hugely influenced the original purchase.
Many years have since passed and the scratched and battered racket has been languishing in our loft, set to remain there for the foreseeable future… until the Freecycle concept caught my eye.
Freecycle was set up by Deron Beal on May 1st 2003 in Tucson, Arizona. Deron sent out an email to about forty friends urging them to recycle between themselves rather than throw things away. Thus Freecycling was born and now operates in over 85 countries – allegedly the operation keeps more than 500 tons of rubbish out of landfills every day. The website suggests that Freecycling helps instil a sense of generosity of spirit as it strengthens local community ties and promotes environmental sustainability and reuse.
Sounds like an opportunity to increase my happiness levels I thought… and I was not disappointed. The tennis racket has now been collected, intended as a birthday present for Bethany, a teenage tennis fanatic who, like me when I was her age, goes to Wimbledon every year and gathers mementos. She has a wall in her bedroom with all her memorabilia on, and she’d asked for an old wooden tennis racket to add to the display. So sometime in early April, she will open up a parcel containing my old racket and I’m pretty sure she will be delighted to receive it.
On reflection, I can’t adequately describe the strength of positive feeling as I handed over the racket and Bethany’s Mum walked down our drive with it on her shoulder. I felt wonderful! I felt excited for her as she took it home and found a place to hide it away until the birthday dawned. I felt truly contented that I had given something away that was needed and wanted – an amazing feeling that lingered for days and can still bring a broad grin to my face.
Sarah’s Positive Tips
#3 Give something away.
Giving leads to receiving. Those who give, who are generous, and who share their wealth know something greater; giving itself is real riches. By giving of your time, of your love, of your friendships or of your money you receive more inner satisfaction, happiness and peace. Chinese Proverb.
