Toan has another story to tell

Go Inspire Go is such a wonderful organization that I have written about it often here.  Last year their Chief Inspirator Toan Lam had this crazy idea of spotlighting 50 heroes in 50 states, and after a successful fundraising, they set off to do just that.  I have told you here about the results too and I am happily watching for each new development, which I hope you will enjoy and get something from. 

 

Their first hero in the 50 stories in 50 states campaign was 16-year-old  Matthew Kaplan, founder of The Be O.N.E. Project, a life-changing program he started for middle school students in Arizona to stop bullying behavior before it even begins.  Next came a truly incredible story as Tony Tolbert, a UCLA lecturer and attorney loaned his house out to a homeless family of five for a year.  A twelve-year-old, Thomas Ponce, is an animal rights activist in Florida with a special gift of inspiring people, and he became the third 50-50 profile. 

 

If you haven't seen these first three stories yet, or this is the first time you are hearing about Go Inspire Go, I urge you to head to their website where you can not only find links to all the videos, but also find out more about them.  You can get involved too.  At the end of each video you will find ways to do something.  There is also the very easy option of spreading the word and letting others know about them.  Of course you can also donate money.  There website is at http://www.goinspirego.com/

 

Toan has another story to tell of course.  Many more!  Just recently posted though is the latest 50-50 tale and this one will change the way you think about hip-hop. Toan and crew traveled to New York City for an inspiring story of how hip-hop is saving lives and creating humanitarians.  I know you are going to be moved by this one!  Click HERE to view 50-50 story number five.

I found something better

Maybe it was because I last night heard Aretha Franklin's signature hit "Respect" or maybe it was a scene I was recalling from the 1966 comedy film The Trouble with Angels, but something suggested I write this today.

 

First the scene from the movie.  An all girls school run by nuns is the scene and the Mother Superior is talking to one of the students about her own youth when she was a seamstress and had dreams of becoming a designer.  The student asks why she gave it up, and after a reflective pause, Reverend Mother says "I found something better."

 

Picture if you will, a high school boy asking a girl out on a date.  He asks just any girl because he wants to be sure of a yes answer, but all the while he is hoping for a yes from a more popular girl, whom he eventually asks.  Having gotten that yes from the girl he really wanted to go out with, he drops the first girl like a hot potato.  He found something (actually someone in this case) that he felt was better.

 

Now these are different situations to be sure, but the point I am trying to make is that we sometimes make changes for the better, but we don't always play fairly.  The girl in the second example certainly didn't get a good deal.  How about when you are choosing teams for basketball and the poor player always gets chosen last? 

 

Recently an organization sent out invitations to a number of people asking for someone to come and speak at an event.  They really didn't want just any of them though.  The first person who said yes was thanked and told when and where the event was and she was expecting to be the speaker - that's what they had told her.  A few days later the organization received a late response from one of the others that they had invited.  The late responder was a bigger name and so they dumped the first in favor of this new person.  Were they playing fair?

 

Think about these situations.  When, if at all, is a good time to go with something better?

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

Remember when Bette Midler sang "Did you ever know that you're my hero"?  The song is Wind Beneath My Wings and numerous other artists recorded it, but the point I want to make is regarding its lyrics.  I think it is talking about a friend or relative, someone who is special and whom she considers her hero and her idol. There is nothing wrong with a little hero worship and I think everyone should have someone like she does!

 

A few months before my mother died, I was helping her set up a new telephone lifeline system and, as a backup password, they wanted to know the name of her hero.  Without hesitation Mom said "Dad," meaning her father.  How wonderful that long after he had died, my mother still looked at her father as her hero.

 

I write here often of people we might consider heroes.  Some are well known and some are folks that would only be known within their community.  What is it that make them a hero though and has anyone ever encouraged them to continue that behavior?  One of the things I like about that Bette Midler song is that it seems to be addressed directly to her hero.  How wonderful!  Let that person know what you think of them.  Oh they my blush and even say "aw shucks!" but acknowledging good behavior only encourages more of it, and that certainly can't be a bad thing!

Writing ideas

You might think I would run out of writing ideas after doing this blog every day for so many years.  No so!  I still have tons and tons of ideas!  (Oh and I guess that I should confess that we have missed a few days here.  I didn't write anything for a few days after Mom died last year and I also briefly limited this to six days, taking Sundays off from blogging.  I found that I missed it though and there is so much to say)!

I can tell you that I plan on writing very soon about the fourth installment in the Go Inspire Go 50/50 videos. I'm told we're about to find out how hiphop is saving lives and creating young humanitarians. It's a story from New York City that I am really looking forward to, and of course I'll tell you all about it here.

I will certainly share some more stories of other hometown heroes too. I love sharing those heartwarming tales when I come across them.  Oh and the suggestions about how we can all give back.  There are so very many ways, and so there is always something to write about there.

 

What I did want to mention once again today though is YOU.  This blog has never been about me - it's about making a difference in the world.  That making a difference is something we all can do and so many of the suggestions and ideas are ones that I'm sure you have too.  Would you like to share some of them?  Do you have a few writing ideas you want to pass along?  Is there a story you'd like me to tell?  Let us hear from you.  Please share your comments below!

Picture cooperation

I've told you this story about cooperation before, but I really like it, and since cooperation is such a great thing, I thought I'd share this story again. It's about a man who was taken on a tour of both heaven and hell. In hell he was shown a banquet hall filled with diners seated at a table that was covered with all kinds of delicious food. Each person’s back and left arm were tied to the chair so that bending at the waist was impossible, and the left arm could not move. The right arm was stiffened so that the elbow would not bend. The people at the table could gaze at the delicious spread and they could smell the aroma of the food, but they were starving.

In heaven, the picture was exactly the same – backs and left arms shackled, right arms stiffened – but the diners were feasting and rejoicing, because each diner used his stiffened right arm to feed the person to his or her right. It was a picture of people working together – a picture of cooperation. Working together as a team, we can do so much more!

 

Think about it.  How wonderful this world would be if we all worked together!

sunrise - sunset

Isn't this a glorious vision?  Wait a moment though - in this picture, are we looking at a sunrise or a sunset?  Can you tell the difference?  Is one more beautiful than the other? 

 

There are those who prefer the rising of the sun in the morning.  It signals a fresh start; a brand new day.  Most of us when we see it are just waking up and are rested and refreshed after a night's sleep.

 

Some people prefer to look at the sun as it sets.  The day is finished and now, as the sun goes down, a time of rest is approaching.  We have done what we set out to do and there will be another opportunity to do more wonderful things tomorrow.

 

However we look at the sun though, one thing is certain.  It is beautiful.  Take a moment and just reflect on this picture.  There is beauty all around us.  Take a moment and enjoy some of that too.  In fact, start looking at all the beauty that surrounds you, and I guarantee in will change your day!

A politician making a difference

People in political life we may hope will do great things and bring about positive changes, but the reality is that few elected officials ever measure up to what we generally hope for. Yes there are the Kennedy brothers and Lech Waselsa, and Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill but it would be rather difficult to come up with another six names. That's why I have such strong feelings about the President of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors, David Chiu. 

David has passed more legislation than anyone serving on today’s Board of Supervisors and there is a good reason for that. David is fair and honest and has worked tirelessly to build consensus and to look at things from all points of view. He has been a hard worker for San Francisco and I am excited that he may be soon representing us in the state legislature. I know it may seem odd to be writing about someone in elected office, after all what I write about here each day is making a difference in our world. THAT'S why I am writing about David Chiu. He makes a difference every single day.

 

Representing one of San Francisco's eleven districts, David has been chosen by them to be their president an unprecedented three times. Turning around our city's economy and creating more jobs has been David’s top priority as President of the Board of Supervisors. As someone who doesn’t even own a car, he has been able to champion a number transit successes. He has worked to clean up our environment, always stands up for our neighborhoods, and continues to work hard and to standing up for tenants and for affordable housing.

 

Back in 2005, David worked alongside San Francisco LGBT leaders on a successful effort to adopt marriage equality in the official platform of the California Democratic Party. In fact The Bay Area Reporter observed that he “championed the cause with gusto." Indeed. I have seen firsthand David's commitment to the LGBT community from his regular participation in local LGBT events like the annual Pride Celebration to his advocating for the reunification of LGBT immigrant families and his support for increased funding for HIV/AIDS programs.

 

David Chiu makes a difference as a political leader here in San Francisco and I am excited that he is running for the District 17 Assembly seat. At noon today he will officially open his campaign office at 549 Castro Street here in San Francisco and I hope many of you will come by. Take a closer look and I am confident you will agree that David Chiu is a political leader that can inspire us all.