…or at least that’s how I feel after doing some much-anticipated Black Friday shopping.

Now, don’t get me wrong–I’ve come a LONG way in my financial journey. In terms of financial roots, I come from nothing. I don’t have some fancy trust fund to tap into. I have no influx of family money to rely on in the future. But what I do have is, in my opinion, far worth way more than any legacy–I have sound financial habits to rely on when making decisions and forging my financial future.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the norm for where I live. Yes, I live in Boston. Yes, the majority of the population here is young, educated professionals and the wealthy. But if you look just beyond the Louis Vuittion-toting surface, you’ll find families that can’t pay their utility bills, families that have no semblance of stable housing arrangements if they don’t live with family members; families that rely on Back Friday deals to complete their holiday shopping (and some who view holiday shopping as the ultimate luxury as they struggle to put a simple meal on the table, let alone some sort of elaborate Thanksgiving spread).

As I roamed the aisles this morning (at the butt-crack of dawn, may I add…haha), I took time to fully soak in the complete experience for the first time in perhaps a decade–I was shopping for things I wanted when others were fighting for things they needed that just happened to be on sale. Talk about a reality check!

As I got into my warm car to drive home, I watched mothers with multiple children wait in the cold for the bus to take them home. As I paid for the luggage that had been on my “want/need” list for the past 3 years, I watched others waiting in line to purchase socks and underwear for their families. In short, I saw people who were a lot less fortunate than I am desperately trying to make their dollar stretch farther than usual in a city that’s far more expensive than any news or magazine report will ever let on.

For most of the day, these thoughts haunted me yet proved to be mostly fleeting. However, three movies into my annual champagne-Christmas decorating-random Black Friday discount DVD movie marathon, I absently took a look around the beautiful condo I own and had just fully decorated for the impending Christmas season. And it hit me–I’m beyond blessed. I’m luckier than most of the people who live in my neighborhood. On the surface, I’m a privileged brat and I’m not OK with that connotation.

And so it commences, my commitment to give back whatever I can during this year’s holiday season. I look forward to writing more about how I accomplish this spur-of-the-moment yet oh-so-important last-minute goal for my 2011. I can only hope that by giving back, I’m able to replicate the immense joy I felt today while decorating and Christmas shopping for those I love–for those who are less fortunate, for those who deserve a lot more than standing in line in the cold for 2 hours only to find the only TV/video game/gift they could afford was sold out by the time they got into the store.

For all of my neighbors who struggle in ways I’ll fortunately not experience this year, I dedicate my energy, time, and extra money to. To me, the best part of the holiday season is giving back to those who deserve/need it most….