Baby it's hot outside

On the news once again, a small child has been left in a hot car while the mother went off to do something else. In this case she was on a job interview - she needed that job to provide for herself and her child, but she put the child at risk. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident.

Cars can get hot - very hot. In summer weather, the temperature inside a car can quickly rise to 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat stroke begins at 104 degrees. Cracking the windows or turning on the air conditioning doesn't make it better. It still might get too hot to be safe. There is also the risk that I child might play around with the car and accidently put it in neutral. Oh course there is also the risk of abduction.

Heat in your car should be a concern if you have pets too. Don't leave a dog or cat any more than you would a child. It might actually be worse for them. Oh and on a really hot day, think twice about taking your pets out on the hot sidewalks, as the really hot cement might be hard on their feet.

 

Heat can injure and heat can kill.  Protect yourself, your children, and your pets!

The list just keeps on growing

The list of ways to make a difference is endless.  From time to time I have shared some thoughts here.  Today I have some more!

 

Open the door for another person. Give blood. Bring flowers to work and share them with coworkers. Pay for the meal of the person behind you in the drive-through. As you go about your day, pick up trash. Call or visit a homebound person. Pay a compliment at least once a day. Leave a treat or handmade note of thanks for a delivery person or mail carrier.

 

Leave an extra-large tip for the waitperson (if you can afford to). Tell a bus or taxi driver how much you appreciate their driving. Give the gift of your smile. Draw names at work/school and have people bring a small gift or treat for their secret pal. Sponsor people in fundraising walk-a-thons.

 

The gift of sharing can be awesome too, so please do share your own ideas!  You can do it below in the comments section!

Mail call

Do you ever even see a letter carrier anymore? Remember when you used to wait for your mail each day? With so much instant communications now, fewer and fewer folks actually post cards and letters. Why? Isn't that still a valid form of communication? I say YES!! In fact, I'd love to see a movement to get back to sending letters and cards via the mail. (No card company put me up to this).

When I reach into my mailbox and find a personal letter or a card that someone has thoughtfully selected, it brings a smile to my face, and I want to immediately open it. I wish there were more.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the internet and spend significant time on twitter, Instagram, and of course facebook. I love getting "newsy" emails too. Those though seem to be even more scarce. Folks will send an instant message of a text, but usually it's just a few words, and often even they are abbreviated.

We just aren't communicating with each other like we once did. Does anyone agree? Can I convince some of you to head down to your local drugstore or card shop and pick up a few greetings? How about a nice letter telling your friends and family that you are thinking of them? Of and while I'm at it, I'd love to hear from YOU too! One really easy way is simply to add your thoughts to the comments below. Let's communicate once again!

From a New York taxi driver

I have no idea who wrote this - I found it a long time ago on the internet and have seen it posted several times.  I've even shared it here before.  It's the kind of "feel good" story that I really like and again, these are not my words, but I wanted to share this great story with all of you once again.

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked..

'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.

They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said.

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

How would you like a cow?

How would you like a cow? That's probably not a question you have ever been asked, but I'll tell you why I brought it up. There is an organization called Heifer International, with a mission to work with communities to end poverty hunger and to care for the Earth. It's a great group and many look to them for unusual presents at Father's Day, birthdays, or at the end of the year when they do holiday gift-giving.

I'm sure you are familiar with the proverb that says "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." That's how Heifer International works. Instead of giving a glass or a jug of milk, you give a whole cow! The first female calf born of that cow is given to another family, thus extending the original gift even more. Pretty wonderful huh?

There are more than just cows given and they do have opportunities in a variety of price ranges. You can give a goat or a sheep or a pig for just $120. Rabbits are each $60 and a flock of chicks is only $20. A heifer? Well of course they are available. $500 is the cost, but you can share the cost with others and pay as little as $50.

This is one organization I'm sure you will want to know more about. Go to http://www.heifer.org/ to learn more online. They have tons of information on your website about how you can get involved and make a difference.

what goes on here

If you just stumbled across It's NOT about me for the first time, let me take a moment to explain.  This blog is about making a difference in the world and it contains stories of hometown heroes who give back and do good things and also has suggestions and ideas for how we ALL can make a difference.  This is a positive energy place and I continue to be excited day after day and year after year. 

 

To say that it is NOT about me might be a little misleading - possibly suggesting that I don't need to one of those giving back.  The title came about to make it clear that I wouldn't be telling stories about my vacation or sharing recipes or bringing you news about how may day went at work.  In that sense, this blog is not about me.  Because we all should be part of the goodness of our world, it of course IS about me, and in fact is about ALL of us!  (Perhaps I should have called it It's not ONLY about me).

 

Anyway, I hope you will read what I write here regularly and I hope you will join in the conversation.  There was a time when many folks were leaving comments here, but that seems to have stopped.  Please feel free to add your own thoughts and suggestions.

 

What can we ALL do to make this a better world?

grateful

Are you grateful for anything?  Is your life pretty fantastic and you are so very thankful for that?  Lately I have seen that question pop up a lot on social media and usually there's a "list three things you are grateful for every day for the next week and nominate three of your friends each day to do the same."

 

Well, getting 21 people to join you in making lists of things you are grateful for might be a pretty huge challenge.  I'm not going to shoot quite so high.  

How about a somewhat smaller exercise?  Spend a few minutes each day thinking about things you are grateful for.  You don't have to write a list or tell your friends - just think about it.  If you like, you can do more.  You can send out some thank yous for example.  Let people you are grateful for, know about it.

 

One thing that always is nice is when you share any of your thoughts with us here too.  Write below in the comments section some of the things you are grateful for.  If you like.  No pressure.  You won't even have to involve 21 of your friends!