Giving

I can't blog about Oprah without discussing the subject of giving and paying it forward. She has featured so many people from celebrities to the woman next door who have given their time or talents to other individuals. Oprah has given away cars, homes, vacations, and has provided countless children with an education they otherwise wouldn't have received. I'm sure there are a lot of other things I haven't mentioned. A lot of people will say, "She can do that because she has a lot of money and power." I believe she has shown how there are numerous ways we can all give that don't require fame or fortune. On a past show, there was a woman who clipped coupons for her church and started a food pantry for her community. Another woman started collecting pajamas for foster children. It all stemmed from a need that these individuals became aware of and then decided to take action and fill it.

I hosted a luncheon for a group of friends a few years ago. The idea behind it was to get a group of ladies together to make blankets for kids who have been abused. I had helped at an organization that houses these children. They live and attend school there temporarily until they are able to return to their homes. One of the staff members gave us a tour of the facility afterward. She showed us a closet where each child gets to pick out a blanket and that is the one thing that is theirs and they get to keep it. The first thought that popped into my head when she opened the closet was, "These are kids blankets?" I didn't see any bright, fun, colorful prints. Instead I saw quilts like your grandma would have made. Not that there's anything wrong with quilts. I just thought of the things that my own kids like, and didn't see anything they would get excited about. I'm a pretty emotional person, and I've let that keep me from volunteering in places such as this because I'm afraid I'll cry in front of them. However, I did okay at the party. I don't sew, but I thought to myself I can make no sew blankets. My friends and I made soft, warm, and bright colored fleece blankets. We reached my goal of twenty, and I was proud that I had put my thought into action. I was also thankful for the support and generosity of my friends.

Malaak Copmton-Rock was on Oprah this week, and she has a moto she lives by, "Service is the rent you pay for living." She has a new book titled "If It Takes A Village Build One." She took a group of kids from New York who were used to being on the receiving end, and had them be on the giving end at a village in Africa. They were able to see how even though they didn't have a lot they could still help others who had even less.

Sometimes it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the needs that exist in this world that you don't know where to start. I feel like the needs are bigger than myself, and what I am capable of accomplishing. I give a little here and a little there, but I never feel like I'm really making a difference. When Oprah gives examples of how we can all pay it forward, I am reminded that one person can make a huge difference. We may not always immediately see it, but you never know what a kind word or gesture may do for someone.