Saturday, June 12, 2010

How To GiVe BIG In Ways To OTHERS

Healing Heartaches: Stories of Loss and LifeHealing Heartaches: Stories of Loss and Life

Celebrate!
Give It AWAY



Beautiful Saturday morning starting here... For the first time in 8 days... The little ones have started the morning with NASCAR style racing around the pool... I with my coffee sit and watch and wonder...
Do they now feel that it is time to once again Celebrate Their Mornings Like They Used To?
Is the four-leggeds time of wondering, of trying to figure out the change of energy, the absence of Magic their Leader past?  Or is it just that this very morning they are so very full of themselves that they just cannot help but:
CELEBRATE... STOMP... and do that wonderful "tag you're it" race around the pool" ever so close to the edge once again...
Whatever the reason... it is sure good to see once again... 
Spoke with the Godson yesterday... well actually to Mom; Godson Buddy Pal was Driving HER... "Driving Ms Dorothy, aka (COB) from her doctor appointment where her stitches from her leg were removed... Yep, he was driving on Interstate 81, doing 65MPH and in the middle lane ~ She had me on "speaker" and I heard him tell me he was "great, great report card", but then she spoke... Saying he was doing great and she might just get used to the idea of having a driver... When he and I spoke last I had advised him that after the main celebration of his "rite of passage" which included his driving them all to dinner... That once back to his Auntie Dot's home, he should walk and look into the fridge and then tell her... "Oh no... you are out of milk, I think we need to go to the store, and I"LL DRIVE"!
LOL! She let me know he made many trips to the fridge and let her know of the many reasons that they needed to go out several times in the evening to get essential things (just so he could drive) ~
Ah... Virginia is having a ball I am sure ~ My beloved Godson, wanted to make sure that I let all of the readers know that he really appreciated all the comments and wishes that have been sent to him on this most important time in his life... and I too thank you for that!

This morning has me thinking about our beautiful Gulf Of Mexico; our pristine beaches, our amazing sea life and the winged-ones... wondering how we can all help; some in large ways and others in small but ever so significant ways... We are all a part of this greater circle of helping, healing, growing...
Better to be a part of the solution than sit back and moan and whine especially without cheese... much too early for cheese and whine, I'm thinking.

And then I get to thinking of other ways we can help... ways to help those who might just benefit from small ways that would mean big ways...

In working with those grieving and with fellow professionals I have always said,
"Little steps lead to big steps"... and so it is with helping...

More of that "pay it forward" way of living I guess...

Small Gifts CAN Make a Difference in so many ways... From walking the beach, picking up trash... looking for evidence of the oil spill ... to calling the local rescue folks asking what do they need that you might just have laying around and can donate to them... just in case they need it!





Often we forget how some small gift on our part can make a huge difference to the many organizations that serve our community.

I recently saw a request for gently used clothing for a local thrift shop and instantly thought of clothes languishing in my closet, too small, to big, otherwise unworn. Our local women’s shelter always needs personal care items and have no budget to provide these items for their guests.

The food pantry in our neighborhood struggles daily to meet the needs of hungry families, while my pantry is comfortably stocked.

The local animal shelters are always seeming to need dog/cat foods, toys, blankets, sheets, gently used beds that were Rovers'... to use in their work with the animals...

What more can we each do?

I know that our home takes advantage of BOGO at the grocery, I would not want you to ever think me a liar... ( I seldom go to the grocery without a map and a mission... thankfully someone else does that or we would all starve)~... . AND... if I did not fess up to this truth, many relatives would rat me out on the comments today, so I figure I will beat them to it! Last time at a grocery store, standing and looking rather lost, a gentleman came up to me and offered me a map of the store! He thought I was a visitor to the area ~ (heehe... pitiful I know)  It gets worse... had to call Virginia and ask what is a BOGO, but Angie being the fierce shopper she is; not only knew... but then proceeded to tell me what stores were best (here in my own backyard)!!! BUT, now I know, and at least ... I now know how to navigate the store once again until I forget again... so it all works out quite well thank you very much Matza-Ball... and others who feel the need to comment with their jokes today!

Now... where was I? Oh yes... the famous BOGO, that's right...
Why not set the free item aside to pass onto the food pantry?
My closet can definitely use a purge.

The dollar store has an abundance of soap, toothpaste, STUFF, shampoo and razors.

Can I not afford to allocate ten-twenty dollars this month to buy some of these much needed items.

Of course I can, and do.

Will you join me in supporting the organizations that do so much for so many, with so little?


My neighbor travels and saves all hotel samples for her local shelter.

She has done this for many years and I applaud her for the effort. Great idea huh???

I challenge each of us this day to make some contribution. With so many wanting to help with the Gulf; seeing those many and varied sea life critters and winged ones in such distress... perhaps a call to the wildlife folks and ask if they need some Dawn Detergent, rubber gloves, or something like that (all can be purchased BOGO or dollar store) will not only make you feel like CELEBRATING, but really give you something to STOMP about with gladness... knowing you care deeply and love beyond measure...

No matter how small no matter how big... maybe something right here in our home towns, to some organization/group close to home.

Most of us in this economy must be careful with our dollars, and some of us simply struggle to make ends meet at home, but as I have said so many times, in the giving, we too receive the gifts.

So if you are not sitting at an empty table, wrapped in threadbare rags, hungry, with a barren plate, perhaps you can participate in some small way in community giving. If you can't get outside your home secondary to health; perhaps you can get on the phones/computer and find out who is doing what/who needs what  and let others know...
Make your voice be heard ~ Lend a hand through letting your fingers do the walking and your tongue do the talking for the greater good of those without that ability...

Look at what is happening at http://www.bear.org/
another wonderful place to drop as little or as much as you can to foster Dr and Mrs Rogers life work for the North American Black Bears...
Remember when HOPE went missing??? Thousands sounded the alarm for help and folks came running with night vision goggles, with cams to watch for movement; with grapes, filberts, cherries, and such... and all the while the debt of the NABC is being reduced because why??? Folks fell in love with the North American Black Bear and the passion of Dr Lyn Rogers, his wife Donna, a woman named Sue and their life's work...
Step into the light my friends... in your back yard or the yards of a neighbor...

Most social service organizations, animal leagues/rescue/aquariums and wildlife for the gulf rescue can and will let you know what is most needed.

They are grateful for our help and will probably be deeply touched by it.

 It may not change the world, but it can make a difference in the life of one person, many animals, mammals, our world as we know it and enjoy it.

How does change come about anyway?

 One gift, one assist at a time.

I want to be a part of the help my sister/brother/animal/neighbors need.

 We have talked about gifting our time in the past, and perhaps the gift of our time is the greatest gift of all, but perhaps we can consider other ways to help now.


Blessings to each of you, dear readers who have found a way to make your own contribution. I encourage everyone to look for new ways to lend a hand whenever possible.

We are as always, a part of the solution, after all we are powerful warriors here.

Today, we can make a difference.

Wherever you are and whatever you are up to on this most remarkable day... I wish you all that you dare to dream...

Make it the best day ever ~

The fire is burning brightly with prayers of hope and thoughts of healing ways on the wind and the smoke to all today... YOU know who you are, you most often read your names right here...

May you find comfort in knowing you are with some powerful folks, we are together on this page, we are with you, always along with some powerful angels...

Walk In Beauty,
DRSES
author of
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life
http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/
http://www.healingheartaches.com/





Healing Heartaches: Stories of Loss and Life

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Again, great ideas adn inspiration for us to step it up, get out of our own comfort and give a bit. We really don't have any excuse to not be particiapting in some form of community giving. I'm all over it. Thsi month I will tackel a specific project to give. STOMP! Hope everyone on this blog will take up the challenge and share their contributioms with us, Notivate and inspire each other. Glad to hear of the pups antics and Ode's wild adventures too. Hope everyone celebrates a warm, wonderufl weekend, starting NOW.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of giving, hope other readers will remember Laura and the MS fund raising she is doing for MS. The drive is nearing an end and I'd like to see htose of us interested in making whatever financial contribution we can to the cause. She is an absolute WARRIOR. Lara, can you give us contact info in case we have scratched up some funds to forward? I know you said that yu have an arraingement for matching funds which would make my donation mroe valuable, how do we get in on this effort?
Best to all

DrSES said...

Laura is a WARRIOR with MS living in Palm Harbor FL... She is currently tending to the butterfly plants (and CATTER-pillers) LOL
Her computer recently "was fried"(not sure that is the proper tech term, but it is now being worked on!)
She is planning for the plants to be ready for sell and all that good stuff raising $$$ and awareness, selling candy bars at work, at a local wonderful community focused family restaurant...
AND WOULD LOVE ANY/ALL that anyone can do to help...
Please send me an email and I will then get you to her info@drsherryeshowalter.com

Her daughter rides in the annual MS ride to cure MS some amazing amount of miles (200) I'm thinking...

Again, she is one of our WARRIORS here... thanks for asking!

Angie said...

Morning Cuz & friends
Awoke this 1st Saturday off in three weeks to the sound of the birds chirping and the beautiful sunshine shining through my window. Forgot how great it feels to sleep til 9am. YES 9am w/o Kamryn begging for his morning cereal. Guess he knows not to mess w/Mom on her first Saturday off!!
And yes I am the QUEEN of BOGO!! I will never forget being asked what does BOGO mean...I thought it was a joke b/c I just couldn't imagine anyone especially someone in my fam that did not know what that meant!! But Sherry was honest when she says "She doesn't shop!" That's too much work for her to do!!!
And yes I am able to tell her more about stores in Tarpon Springs and the surrounding areas b/c I do luv me some shopping~
For those who wanted to know the story of how Ode got his name...check out the comments from yesterdays blog.
We are all looking forward to a wonderful day and I hope you all have one as well~~
I will be STOMPING at Claytor Lake and relishing in the great memories of my childhood and my Favorite Uncle Frank teaching me how to water ski~~Now those were the days :)
Luv and Blessings to all~~

Anonymous said...

Thank you Dr. SES for todays blog. I agree with you on all of the above. I am currently fighting a battle to help save our YMCA in our community. All of our factories have moved to Mexico and the very few left are laying off their employees one by one. The economy has hit our YMCA very bad, cutting way down on our child care dept.. the local hospital pulling out of the cardio unit of the fitness center only leaving the Nurse and paying their salary. I am on a Sustaining Membership committee, I am asking everyone I know to contribute to our YMCA. WE give scholarships to adults, Sr. adults and children who would be on the streets with out the YMCA, currently at this point we are desperately needing support for our community and our members. The town has to be careful on contributions as we are a Christian organization who puts Christian principles into practice. The County will not help as they want to buy a $4mil. building and put in a new Rec. Ctr. fitness center. WE have the only heated pool in our area. I SAY WE CAN ALL HELP. REACH DOWN AND GET THAT OLD $10.00 BILL AND HELP US. I am amazed at the people who are in the pool classes who refuse to give other than their membership dues. I have 2 people on fixed income as most of us are, who are giving up their lunch eating out and donating a $ amt. for 12mo. to help keep our YMCA. You know you can all help your community if you want to take the challenge. I am not giving up on something I love. I will beg, borrow and NOT steal to help our YMCA. Help where it is needed and you will be blessed. Thanks Dr. SES for letting me comment for something so dear to my heart and who has helped me thru out the years with lots of heartaches and disappointments. Blessings to all

Anonymous said...

TO GIVE OF YOURSELF.
YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR HEART...
REAPS REWARDS IN RETURN WHICH
ARE IMMEASURABLE TO OUR
SPIRIT AND SOUL....
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND...
BEGIN YOUR GIVING WITH A SIMPLE
CARING SMILE.... you will feel
wicked cool.....