Runner's 'High'? How About Giver's 'High'?

Interesting [emphasis added]...

According to the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, a survey of 30,000 American households, people who gave money to charity in 2000 were 43% more likely than non-givers to say they were "very happy" about their lives... People who give also are less sad and depressed than non-givers...

The happiness difference between givers and non-givers is not due to differences in their personal characteristics, such as income or religion, age, education, politics, sex, and family circumstances...

Of course, it might not be that giving increases our happiness, but rather that our happiness increases the likelihood that we will give... Researchers have investigated this... The result is clear that giving has a strong, positive causal impact on our happiness.

A number of studies have researched exactly why charity leads to happiness. The surprising conclusion is that giving affects our brain chemistry... induc[ing] endorphins that produce a very mild version of the sensations people get from drugs like morphine and heroin...

...or running.

$1,000 per Mile for Cancer... or a Patriots Luxury Box

As excited as anyone in the Northeast (and perhaps the country) about the Patriots-Giants game tomorrow evening, I found this article interesting. The sub-title reads:

Giants Season Ticket Holders Look To Take Advantage Of Potentially Historical Game; Luxury Suite Going For $26,114

That's just $86 shy of my fund-raising goal for Dana-Farber this year: $1,000 per mile in the marathon. If you're in the market for such a seat, have that kind of money to spare and would be willing to consider putting it towards a much better and more enduring cause, I'll offer you my favorite chair in my living room and wait on you hand and foot during the game. :)