Reaching out

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
– Anne Frank

Every day we hear of opportunities to volunteer for community projects, some are very local in nature, others may have more global implications. When you are considering potential projects with various levels of involvement, what are your criteria for making decisions? Is time a major factor or is passion for the project the key?

…what the world needs is people who have come alive.

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ― Howard Thurman

Proud to be an American

The day after celebrating the birthday of America with hot dogs, burgers on the grill, family by the pool, parades and fireworks, take a moment to reflect upon these words from Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

This year is your year to shine, to delve into one of many worthy causes. So spend some time today in reflection, reach down inside and discover your ability to achieve your destiny. We are free here in America thanks to others who came before us to create it. Take that freedom and run with it! Give something back to show you have earned that liberty! Set an example for those who come after us.