I don’t know about you, but I can’t always afford to throw money at good causes. There are so many different efforts out there to choose from and so many of them are close to my heart. I love animals, I work with a breast cancer survivor, my grandfather had rheumatoid arthritis, I’ve known a couple of people who suffered with Alzheimer’s, I’m friends with people who were the victims of various kinds of abuse or assault, I’ve known people with varying degrees of mental disorders, and I’ve met plenty of homeless people.
It can be difficult to feel like anything you do will make a difference. Especially when you have only a little spare time or a little bit of money to give. I try to tell myself that “every little bit helps” and maybe that’s true. Maybe it’s my effort that makes a difference, rather than the simple material effect of my donation. Hey, the Buddhists even count smiling at people as giving back to the community. (I should practice that one a little more when I’m at work, I suspect.)
I’ve signed up for our local mud run, which is sponsored by the Marines, and the proceeds go to Toys for Tots. It sounds messy, and a little difficult, and fun. (I even considered trying the Tough Mudder, but have decided that I’m not tough enough to run through live wires. I zapped myself a couple of times doing home remodeling and that was quite enough for me.) Send me luck on Saturday!
I’ve also signed up for The Army of Women, which helps breast cancer researchers find subjects for their studies. There are all kinds of projects and all levels of involvement. The organization sends out emails when a researcher is ready for human volunteers, and if you qualify and want to be involved with a particular research effort, you let them know. Even men can sign up, especially if they have had breast cancer (yes, you fellas can get it too). Follow the link, check it out, sign up if it sounds like your kind of thing.
Yeah………….now that I think about it, I’ve decided that every little bit does help.
No comments:
Post a Comment