Donating to charitable organizations is important to me. I don’t have the time I used to but contributing somehow is a priority. Giving helps my overall mental health in many ways: it gets my mind off of myself; I feel connected to people and ideas important to me; it generates feelings of gratitude; it gets me out of the house. 

I volunteer with some animal rescues. The best part of rescue work is transporting dogs to a new, safe place. I believe the dogs understand you’re helping them. They’re sensitive and intuitive creatures. With their highly developed olfactory sense, can they smell it? It’s amazing to see their demeanor and anticipation for a new destination and new humans. For animal lovers, I highly recommend it.