May 2016 – Charity Matters

Charity Matters Inspiration May 30, 2016

Memorial Day-Arlington

Each year this day comes and I wonder how can I convey and share my gratitude for those that have served our country. There is no real way to express how grateful I am for our freedoms. While searching for something, this video came to my attention.

While I am an occasional country music fan, I had never seen this song called Arlington. If you do one thing today, to stop and feel grateful, watch this.

As we light our barbecues and pack up from our long weekends. Let us be mindful of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us all and their families. God Bless America and Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Charity Matters.

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What Matters? May 25, 2016

T & C Philanthropy

I must admit that I have a guilty obsession with magazines. Over the years my sons sold magazines to raise funds for their school, and I of course became their best customer. Today, it is a rare and decadent moment when I can sit down and indulge.

The other day when this months philanthropy issue of Town and Country arrived, I was giddy. Now to find a moment to see what all these amazing people are doing to make our world better.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 23, 2016

Charity Water

With 1.9 million non-profits and more stories to share than we possibly could right here, Charity Matters had to put some filters on who we covered. The core root is people helping people in the United States. As a result, we don’t always cover some amazing international causes because it is a little outside the scope.

Every once in a while, we come across someone, who just gets it and it really doesn’t matter where they live or who they serve, it is what they do for others that becomes the filter for goodness. Without trying to create water and filter jokes, Charity Water is one of those stories. More specifically, the story of Scott Harrison, the former nightclub promoter who turned his life and thousands of others he serves around by creating Charity Water.

Scott says in his bio, “For me, charity is practical. It’s sometimes easy and more often inconvenient, but always necessary. It is the ability to use one’s position of influence, relative wealth and power to affect lives for the better. Charity is singular and achievable.”

Since 2006, Scott and his team have provided over 6 million people with the gift of clean water. Now that is a true filter for goodness.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes May 18, 2016

Charity Matters Quotes: Dreams

“So many of our dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable.”

Christopher Reeve

This week as I continue to search for inspiration and vision, I am looking to the place where I usually find the most…within.

My dreams, thoughts and inner voice guide me forward.

It is in listening to oneself that we truly find where we belong and where we must go.

That is where I am.

Here, now, in this moment, simply listening..

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 16, 2016

Purpose

I have been searching for inspiration everywhere as I sat down this weekend to work on a commencement speech I am giving in June. Truly a terrifying prospect. If you were to impart wisdom, which by the way I am not sure I have to impart….to a group of young high school graduates, what would you want them to know?

There is so much to I want to say but I need them to leave with one nugget, one seed, one thought that they might possibly remember….although to be honest, the only thing that comforts me is that most of us do not remember our commencement speaker…..just sayin.

I digress, so I came across this, and thought I would share it with you. I honestly wish this guy would write my speech because this is good stuff. Enjoy!

If this doesn’t get your week off to a great start, then I am not what will. Happy Monday everyone!

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 9, 2016

The Year of Magical Thinking

One of my favorite books is Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking. It is the real life story of loss and grief. A book I have given to many a friend who has lost a loved one.

What makes this book magical is that it talks about what triggers these emotions, in such a beautiful way. This year, has been a year of magical thinking. No, I have not lost a loved one but there has been much loss. We moved from the home where we raised our sons, we didn’t just get rid of the house, but most of everything inside…who knew that purging is loss? Our second son went off to college, our new house was truly empty, the dog died and I realized that perhaps my youth was on its way out too.

All loss but in a different way. It just chips away at you little by little, rather than in that large earthquake of loss that we experience with death. But the sadness, the feeling of loss is still there. Joan Didion writes, “we are imperfect mortal beings, aware of that mortality even as we push it away, failed by our very complication, so wired that when we mourn our losses we also mourn, for better or for worse, ourselves. as we were. as we are no longer. as we will one day not be at all.”

Loss is life, it is change, it is growth and renewal and it is hard. Whether it comes to you in an earthquake or is chipped away piece by piece it is a process that each of us must endure in our own way. This past year of loss, has once again, been a year of magical thinking.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 4, 2016

What is old?

Aging is something that happens to all of us. This year with a “big” birthday ahead, I have been thinking about it, a bit more than usual. I have heard I should start looking in the mail for the AARP card, really? Let me be clear here, I am getting older (of course) but am not old, do not feel old and hope to be someone who never acts old, regardless of my age. One can hope.

I am also blessed with great role models, my grandmother in her nineties would take care of “the elderly,” people in their seventies. My Dad at 76, spins with me at the gym everyday, and as far as I can tell, everyone in my family who ever “retired” seems to just get busier.

So when I saw this recent video, I thought it was worth a share.

Age is a number, an attitude and a lifestyle. The number doesn’t matter but rather, what you do with your time….even if you have a little less.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference May 3, 2016

Give Local America: A National Day of Giving

Isn’t amazing how fast this year has zipped by and how quickly it seems that I am coming back to you sharing more great news about sharing? Well guess what? Today, yes today….is a National Giving Day! What? You don’t know what that is? Well, in 35 seconds you will.

Today, Give Local America will come together with thousands of non-profits across the country to raise funds, in a national day of giving, for a huge variety of causes. Their goal this year to raise one hundred million dollars nationwide…which is a whole lot of dinero to help so many amazing causes. So if you can spare some time or change, today just might be a great day to make a difference in your community.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes May 2, 2016

Charity Matters Quotes: Friends

“A good friend is a connection to life — a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”

Lois Wyse

This past weekend I went away with two of my dearest and oldest friends to celebrate our upcoming birthdays. Both of these women have been my friends for decades, one since 6th grade. Time spent with dear friends who know you, your life, your story and love you regardless, is one of life’s greatest gifts.

I feel renewed, restored and so blessed to have such remarkable friends in my life.

As we start May, perhaps take a moment to reach out to a friend and connect or re-connect….simply nothing better.

Happy Monday!

Charity Matters.

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