That time of year

Two things about me: I believe in retail therapy, but I don't believe in "charity therapy." Taking those one at a time: I enjoy a good bout of shopping more than I care to admit. I like finding stuff that fits my life so much, it's therapeutic.

Now for the second thing: I volunteering and make donations not to feel good about myself or to feel good in general, but because there's a need. It rarely makes me feel better, because it reminds me how great the need is and the extent to which all I can provide is a drop in the bucket.

It follows that, on my weekend to-do list, "make donations" inspired even less enthusiasm than "clean fridge." While I understand the need, academically, I feared there would be something anticlimactic about submitting my credit card for processing without the expectation of something tangible--like clothing or a shopvac--in return. To my surprise, there wasn't: I clicked "submit" many times over with less hesitation than I had on the websites of Lowes and Banana Republic. The effect is almost opposite to that of retail therapy: I don't necessarily feel better about myself, but I feel much better about where my money is going.