Because caring IS who I am...

Someone that I care about asked me today (or technically yesterday since it is 1:13am) if I knew who I was without work or caring for other people.  It made me think.  Is there something wrong?  Do I not know who I am?  Do I care too much? 

I didn't respond immediately. 

The answer to the question is no, I don't know who i am without work or without caring for other people because without that care, I'm not who I am.  Caring and a deep desire to have an impact, to make a difference....those are at my core.  I believe in respect.  I believe in justice.  I believe in love.  I believe that love and care are the pathways to true justice.  I don't stand for anything if I don't stand for that. 

Is caring painful sometimes? Absolutely.  Do I sometimes feel tired?  Absolutely. 

Regardless, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Do I need to sometimes figure out how to not get taken advantage of because I care so much about some things?  Absolutely.  But I know where my lines are.  I know how I should be treated.  I know what I believe to be right. 

There are too many people in the world these days trying to tell me that I care too much.  Wondering about why I stay at my job when so many people seem to be jumping ship.  It is because I believe that the work I do truly makes a difference. 

Do I sometimes lose sight of that belief? Absolutely.  Do I sometimes struggle with the individual politics and petty mindgames of others?  ABSOLUTELY.

But I find I don't struggle long because I know what I stand for.  I care about people.  I work from the heart. 

Some may see it as a flaw but I think it is one of my greatest strengths.

It Gets Better

I really love the "It Gets Better" campaign.  I think the message of hope is so important to people.  Hope that change can happen and that people can live through pain.  I hope that the teachers, parents, counselors, principals, politicians, etc really listen to the campaign because I believe that we can make it better TODAY.

We don't have to wait until we "get older" for things to get better.  We can use our words carefully NOW.  We can be kind, caring, compassionate and respectful TODAY.  We can DO SOMETHING to make things better now, so that more of our young people will live to see tomorrow when it can be even better.

I love the below video.  I especially love that the creator of it reminds us that it isn't just members of the LGBTQ community that get bullied but all sorts of people that are considered different.  I would add that bullying doesn't stop at the high school graduation but can continue into college and the workforce.

We must make it better. We can make a difference.  I truly believe that we can change things and make it okay....to be...to breathe...to live....to love...to dream.

Santa Claus

I have said before that I believe in Santa Claus.  I don't believe that there is truly a jolly ole man in a red suit that has flying reindeer and delivers gifts in one night by sliding down chimneys.   I do believe in the power of that image though.

I have engaged in discussion about whether telling kids about Santa Claus is lying to them.  I can see how it can be considered lying but it is a story that I would tell every kid.  It isn't about presents but about joy and laughter.  Santa is about imagination and belief and magic.

I believe in imagination and belief and magic.  I believe in kindness and joy and connection.

Santa is all of those things.  The story of Santa is a story that imagines all of us connected to each other.

It was fun to see my niece enjoy the story of Santa Claus and see her believing and imagining.  I believe in Santa Claus.



"I Believe in Santa Claus" From Year Without a Santa Claus"

This I believe... (the book)

I just finished reading the book "This I Believe".

This a compilation of the NPR statements by all kinds of people.  I have never actually heard the NPR show - which I know makes me a heathen in some people's minds.  A few entries ago, I wrote my own belief list that I have been carrying around with me for a few years.

The statements of belief in the book are really powerful.  As I have said before, sometimes we find reminders of what we are hoping for, right when we need them.  On the two month anniversary of the start of this blog and journey, as my heart and passion have been shaken and tested...this book and the statements in it, came at exactly the right time.

"I believe in being a good friend, lover and parent so that I can have good friends, lovers and children.  I believe in being a woman - the best that I can be, like my mama said." -Phyllis Allen

"Give, give, give - what is the point of having experience, knowledge, or talent if I don't give it away? Of having stories if I don't tell them to others? Of having wealth if I don't share it? I don't intend to be cremated with any of it! It is in giving that I connect with others, with the world, and with the divine." - Isabel Allende

"I believe it is important to recognize and appreciate joy when you feel it.  Every once in a while, and not just on special occasions, I've suddenly realized that I am truly happy right now.  This is a precious experience, one to savor." - Elizabeth Deutsch Earle

"I believe that families are not only blood relatives but sometimes just people that show up and love you when no one else will." - Cecile Gilmer

"I believe that we learn by practice.  Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same." - Martha Graham

"Presence is a noun, not a verb; it is a state of being, not doing.  States of being are not highly valued in a culture that places a high priority on doing.  Yet, true presence or "being with" another person carries with it a silent power - to bear witness to a passage, to help carry an emotional burden, or to begin a healing process.  in it, there is an intimate connection with another that is perhaps too seldom felt in a society that strives for ever-faster 'connectivity'." - Debbie Hall

"I believe in the ingredients of love, the elements from which it is made.  I believe in love's humble, practical components and their combined power." - Jackie Lantry

"I believe in the absolute and unlimited liberty of reading.  I believe in wandering through the stacks and picking out the first thing that strikes me.  I believe in choosing books based on the dust jacket.  I believe in reading books because others dislike them or find them dangerous.  I believe in choosing the hardest book imaginable.  I believe in reading up on what others say about this difficult book, and then making up my own mind." - Rick Moody

"Action is what separates a belief from an opinion.  Beliefs are imprinted through actions." - Eboo Patel

"I believe we are more than the inhabitants of our cubicles, more than engineers or even parents, husbands and wives.  I believe we are transformed and connected by the power and beauty of our creativity." - Mel Rushnov

"I believe that like sunshine and great sex, no day is bad that has barbecue in it." - Jason Sheehan

"I believe in the pursuit of happiness.  Not its attainment, nor its final destination, but its pursuit.  I believe in the journey, not the arrival; in conversation, not monologues; in multiple questions rather than any single answer.  I believe in the struggle to remake ourselves and challenge each other in the spirit of eternal forgiveness, in the awareness that none of us knows for sure what happiness truly is, but each of us knows the imperative to keep searching.  I believe in the possibility of surprising joy, of serenity through pain, of homecoming through exile." - Andrew Sullivan

"I believe in both my right and my responsibility to work to create a world that doesn't glorify violence and war, but where we seek different solutions to our common problems.  I believe that these days, daring to voice your opinion, daring to find out information from a variety of sources, can be an act of courage. ... I believe that words are easy.  I believe that truth is told in the actions we take.  And I believe that if enough ordinary people back up our desire for a better world with action, we can, in fact, accomplish absolutely extraordinary things." - Jody Williams

I believe…

• …in the power of laughter.
• …that each day begins fresh.
• …that attitude is a choice.
• …in the power of praise to build people’s self-esteem.
• …that one person can make a difference.
• …that my actions, though small, matter and can cause ripples.
• …that in many ways I am linked to the people around me.
• …in moments of pure joy, deep sorrow, and all the spaces in between.
• …that people are part of our lives for a reason and we should choose to learn as much from them as possible.
• …that there are millions more things that I do not understand than things that I do.
• …that there are things bigger than me.
• …that there are things out of my control and things that I will never be able to explain.
• …that the word friend is special and should be used with care and love.
• …in my friends.
• …that the body and mind are linked and both must be taken care of.
• …in shoes and finding the right pair.
• …in the power of the ocean.
• …that I can find my center, if I close my eyes, breathe and listen carefully.
• …that people live up to expectations we have – good or bad.
• …in taking a step back to calm down before confronting someone.
• …that I am much better able to explain things in writing than by speaking.
• …in tears.
• …a good book or movie can hit you in a place that is deep and meaningful and help you understand something true about yourself.
• …in fairy tales, angels, Santa Claus, the Tooth fairy, The Easter Bunny – not because I believe they exist but because I believe in the power and beauty of imagination.
• …in crayons and construction paper.
• …that life would be better as a musical.
• …in the frailty and strength of humanity.
• …that there might be something to astrological signs.
• …in paper cranes.
• …that if I have the ability, then I should respond.
• …that I will make someone an excellent life partner…someday.
• …that there are two kinds of families, the ones you are born into and the ones you make yourself – and that the latter often give you more than the former.
• …in journals.
• …that a good night’s sleep makes the morning brighter.
• …in the power of names.
• …that the first step to building a good environment is smiles and laughter.
• …in writing things down.
• …that every day I am more able to make healthy and wise choices.
• …in the beauty of memories.
• …in making lists.
• …that honesty can be a tool used to harm as well as heal.
• …that eating 12 grapes before midnight on new years eve will bring me good luck.
• …that you can love someone with no expectations, but it is hard work.
• …that I may never have the answers I seek.
• …that in a relationship you should feel more happy than not.
• …that I am a small piece of a very large puzzle.