We live in crazy times. The times of lie-tellers and truth-tellers. Times when we are so flooded with information that we could scream and, sometimes, cry. Times when we are afraid for the world, and times when we are scared for our children and grandchildren. We live in crazy times when simple joys seem far way and hard to find…when we go to bed at night exhausted and, on many days, awake the same way. We live in crazy times, but there is a way forward. It is not with meaningless platitudes, though there is often truth in their apparent silliness. It may not be with grand actions by the few, though at times these can really help us all. It does not involve climbing the mountain but moving toward the slits of sunlight that push their way through the craggy rock. There is a way forward and it lies in the gift of giving. These gifts can happen in the quiet of our daytime actions. Yesterday, for example, as I was at home recovering from surgery, I received a small basket of goodies. It did not include the name of the giver. It just arrived at the door. I don’t think it was a random act of kindness, but it surely was a gift of kindness. Last fall, my husband of 52 years and a retired judge helped our health aide to apply for citizenship. Together, they practiced the 100 questions you need to be able to answer to become a naturalized citizen of America.  She passed, and a few short months later, she became a proud citizen of the United States. This year she registered and voted for her very first  time. I wish you could have seen her face. This past fall, we gathered up pennies and other change we had been dropping into a jar in the kitchen. We counted it up and put it in a plastic bag, being sure it was enough to serve our purpose. Then we walked it down the street to the home of neighbors whom we do not know well. They met us outside and we gave it to the 5 year old, who had — despite being very scared — gotten on a very big school bus for the first time and headed off the kindergarten on his own.  “Use it to take your sister and parents to the store and buy them an ice cream cone for helping you get strong and brave,” we explained. We live in crazy times, but there is a basic truth here. There is great power in giving, large or small. So here is our challenge to you. If you, like us, are elders who must take money out of your IRAs this year, give some of it away. We gave this fall to the Connecticut Mirror because it is our valued source of truth-telling in these crazy times. If you go to the grocery store and are moved to drop a box of dried mac and cheese or a can of peas into the food drive box, add a package of diapers as well. Sometimes we give food to people who have no stove or utensils. But the gift of diapers requires only a baby and parent. Want to give money instead? Donate to the CT Diaper Bank. Got elderly neighbors and it’s snowing out? Shovel their walk. You will both feel good, and the hug that always follows is priceless. There is a way forward in these truly crazy times. We can all be gift-givers. And, though the gift may seem very small, it surely benefits the giver as much as the receiver. The power of giving is yours to take. Who knew the real power of pennies? Janice Gruendel lives in Branford.