Hope

I have been thinking a lot about the state of the world, about where we are as a culture, as a society, as a part of the global collective. What defines us? Collectively? Individually? What unites us? 

I think that across all borders, political, racial, religious, age, gender, intellectual, the uniting factor is Hope. Hope for a better tomorrow.

Many people Hope for different things. They pray and they work relentlessly to make change. Change in their own lives, change in laws. Some fight for equality, for justice, for respect, for the right to marry, for freedom, for the environment. But what guides us, what gets us through the days, and especially the nights, is a Hope that all of our work will not be in vain, that there will be a better tomorrow.

Its discouraging to work so hard at something, anything, and never see a change. To think that you don't make a difference, that no one would notice you or your efforts were gone. To think that your small effort in changing your light bulbs to be more Eco friendly will not make any difference. To think that when you write letters for freedom, to sign a petition (or champion the petition) to change laws will never amount to anything, it breaks the heart, but not the spirit. 

This is where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that these small changes do make a difference. That is why we do these things, why we take these small steps, make these small changes, and continue to work and pray. Not all of these things are small, and most of them are not easy. Easy is too often the way people go, and it is rarely what is best (but who am I to say what is best?). That these actions will lead to a better tomorrow.

We Hope. Hope unites us across every border and boundary. Hope is universal.

I Hope that I can do something, however small, to create a better tomorrow. 

What gives you hope? What do you Hope for?

Just Adding to the List

I got to meet my little sister today. I have gone through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and am finally becoming a Big Sister!
My little sister is super amazing! She is smart, funny, and is beautiful, inside and out. I'm really excited to begin hanging out with her, and can't wait to get to know her more.
Today at the intake meeting with my little, her mom, and the mentoring coordinator, I learned that my little is on a reduced sodium diet because she has had some medical issues, and needs to watch her sodium due to the state of her kidneys. She's 11.
That's just one more reason why I'm going to do what I'm going to do. I only just met her, and already I can tell what an amazing young girl she is, and if her kidneys failed and she needed a donor...
I don't even want to think about that.
But what I do know is that I believe in the good of this world. I believe that a single person can make a difference. I believe that despite what so many people have told me, donating my kidney is the right thing to do.
My little sister is one more reason why I am donating my kidney, and am proud to do it.

Possibilities Give Me Hope

I had a business lunch today with my boss and a local philanthropist and it was one of the most incredible meals I have ever eaten. We were there to talk about the possibility of providing a scholarship for one of the girls in our program, and all he said was "tell me what you need".

Not only is he more than willing to share his good fortune, but he helped come up with ways in which we can take his acts of kindness and make more of an impact on the local community. His focus was on saving one life. Making a difference for 1 girl. And he does this all over the world.

The possibilities for life that come from a man like this give me hope for a better tomorrow. He helps me believe that one person can make a difference, and that you only need to change one life.

I am very fortunate in so many ways, and I want to help in any way that I can.