I recently stumbled upon several Steinbeck quotes I fell in love with and thought you might enjoy reading as well. I like to keep a collection of thoughts, quotes, letters and photos that have impacted me throughout the chronology of my life and some of these made the cut..
“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.” -- East of Eden
“Try to understand men. If you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and almost always leads to love.”
“I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one. . . . Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?” -- East of Eden
“To be alive at all is to have scars.” -- The Winter of our Discontent
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Multi-Giving
It's easy to let the day get away from you.. One task leads to another and all of a sudden you've skipped from your morning coffee to the end of the day and you're just too wiped out to do that extra something you've been saying you'd do all week. This is my extra something. So I've decided to start multi-giving (derived from the more commonly used multitasking).
As a nonprofit professional and self-proclaimed philanthropist I like I believe I live in a constant state, or spirit, of giving. But I would like to refocus my energy, improve my productivity and recommit myself to this blog and my greater goal of (hopefully) inspiring a little giving in the world around me.
Fortunately, I am blessed with a pretty wonderful sea of givers around me who constantly inspire and share with me. So I would like to dedicate these next few posts to all of you who uplift and remind me that compassion, humility, entrepreneurship and philanthropy are not merely ideas from yesteryear but rather the ideals that make up the great minds of tomorrow.
And with that, a little inspiration via a fellow friend and giver...
"We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness... Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost." -- The Great Dictator
As a nonprofit professional and self-proclaimed philanthropist I like I believe I live in a constant state, or spirit, of giving. But I would like to refocus my energy, improve my productivity and recommit myself to this blog and my greater goal of (hopefully) inspiring a little giving in the world around me.
Fortunately, I am blessed with a pretty wonderful sea of givers around me who constantly inspire and share with me. So I would like to dedicate these next few posts to all of you who uplift and remind me that compassion, humility, entrepreneurship and philanthropy are not merely ideas from yesteryear but rather the ideals that make up the great minds of tomorrow.
And with that, a little inspiration via a fellow friend and giver...
"We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness... Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost." -- The Great Dictator
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Cuipo Tropical Rainforest Preservation
A friend and peer recently reached out to me concerning a budding new organization called Cuipo which is concerned with tropical rainforest preservation, a pressing issue facing our environment. He kindly provided me with some background on the fundamentals of this organization:
"Cuipo is a social enterprise whose mission is to protect the world's endangered rainforest while providing education and awareness programs that inspire individuals and organizations to cultivate lifelong habits for sustainable living. A social enterprise is a company that advances its social mission through earned income strategies.
Their innovative strategy makes this organization one to watch in 2012.
More information to come on this organization and how you can get involved. For now, please show your support by "liking" their Facebook Page.
Monday, January 16, 2012
"have a little faith"
I just finished reading Mitch Albom's novel, have a little faith. I must say I was a bit hesitant to give this book a chance, wary of religious cliches and overly poignant anecdotes. However, I must say I was pleasantly surprised and found the story demonstrated the universality of faith in the greater sense of the word. I would like to share a few passages which resonated with me and I believe will help inspire and enlighten anyone on a philanthropic quest. Enjoy.
"When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"
He made a fist.
"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to say, 'The whole world is mine.'
"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."
What lesson? I asked.
He stretched open his empty fingers.
"We can take nothing with us."
I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow.
And ne'er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me.
--Robert Browning Hamilton
[A conversation on redemption..]
"And maybe people who only get chances to do bad, always around bad things, like us, when they finally make something good out of it, God's happy."
"If you could pack for heaven, this was how you'd do it, touching everything, taking nothing."
"...Which is why our sages tell us to repent exactly one day before we die."
But how do you know it's the day before you die? I asked.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Exactly."
I believe many of these lessons are especially important for those of us who grapple with issues of trust and redemption. In our attempts to provide services for members of the inner-cities, homeless communities and the like, we are often faced with the question of whether our funds and efforts will provide actual solutions or rather be abused and taken advantage of. This question will always persist, however the true stories contained in this novel just might show you how to take a second look and have a little faith...
"When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"
He made a fist.
"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to say, 'The whole world is mine.'
"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."
What lesson? I asked.
He stretched open his empty fingers.
"We can take nothing with us."
I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow.
And ne'er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me.
--Robert Browning Hamilton
[A conversation on redemption..]
"And maybe people who only get chances to do bad, always around bad things, like us, when they finally make something good out of it, God's happy."
"If you could pack for heaven, this was how you'd do it, touching everything, taking nothing."
"...Which is why our sages tell us to repent exactly one day before we die."
But how do you know it's the day before you die? I asked.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Exactly."
I believe many of these lessons are especially important for those of us who grapple with issues of trust and redemption. In our attempts to provide services for members of the inner-cities, homeless communities and the like, we are often faced with the question of whether our funds and efforts will provide actual solutions or rather be abused and taken advantage of. This question will always persist, however the true stories contained in this novel just might show you how to take a second look and have a little faith...
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Taking Care
Okay, this is a little different than my usual post, however, as we embark on 2012 I would like to share an idea with you that was presented to me tonight in my yoga class: Taking Care. You make take this post as a commentary, a philosophy or even a meditation, but I encourage you to take a few moments, let go of your daily anxieties and merely open your thoughts and mind.
As philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, givers, whatever label you choose to cling to, if you are reading this blog you likely belong to a group of people who inherently feel a responsibility to "take care." Often times this responsibility can feel overwhelming. From our loved ones, to the many issues facing our planet and society, never mind our own personal health and sanity, how can we possibly take care of it all? At times we get so wrapped up in this sense of responsibility we lose sight of the true cause, what truly sparked our passion in the first place.
Take a moment to breathe. Think about your breath and how it carries you through life. Even in the face of the greatest despair or disaster, our breath carries us through. We innately bear an incredible coping mechanism, a natural strength to withstand even the greatest challenges. In taking care of the world we must remember the world in turn is taking care of us.
As you look forward to the future and the challenges that stand before you, consider the grace of your breath. Rather than looking to fight or surmount life's challenges, set the foundation to open yourself up for grace. Grace of life, grace of humanity, grace of society, and the cyclical grace of nature which wants to support us in our quest to take care of ourselves and everything around us. Don't allow yourself to become discouraged by the nay-sayers, remember the origin of your passion, and stay present.
This year, I hope to face life's challenges with the grace of breath and the ever-present knowledge that a solution can exist if we allow ourselves to take care and in turn let nature and others reciprocate in taking care. Even though at times it may feel as if you alone are carrying the world on your shoulders, remember, the world is round and the earth in turn carries you.
As philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, givers, whatever label you choose to cling to, if you are reading this blog you likely belong to a group of people who inherently feel a responsibility to "take care." Often times this responsibility can feel overwhelming. From our loved ones, to the many issues facing our planet and society, never mind our own personal health and sanity, how can we possibly take care of it all? At times we get so wrapped up in this sense of responsibility we lose sight of the true cause, what truly sparked our passion in the first place.
Take a moment to breathe. Think about your breath and how it carries you through life. Even in the face of the greatest despair or disaster, our breath carries us through. We innately bear an incredible coping mechanism, a natural strength to withstand even the greatest challenges. In taking care of the world we must remember the world in turn is taking care of us.
As you look forward to the future and the challenges that stand before you, consider the grace of your breath. Rather than looking to fight or surmount life's challenges, set the foundation to open yourself up for grace. Grace of life, grace of humanity, grace of society, and the cyclical grace of nature which wants to support us in our quest to take care of ourselves and everything around us. Don't allow yourself to become discouraged by the nay-sayers, remember the origin of your passion, and stay present.
This year, I hope to face life's challenges with the grace of breath and the ever-present knowledge that a solution can exist if we allow ourselves to take care and in turn let nature and others reciprocate in taking care. Even though at times it may feel as if you alone are carrying the world on your shoulders, remember, the world is round and the earth in turn carries you.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Gifts that Keep on Giving!
As you are shopping for gifts this holiday season, consider these great items which give back as you give!
1. Uggs are the perfect holiday gift, especially for ladies. So why not give a pair that gives back to an organization that fights to protect her pair!
Purchase here for $99.95
Purchase here for $149.95
2. The ever-popular jewelry designer, Dogeared, has come up with a new Stand Up To Cancer necklace. Premiered at the Stand Up To Cancer TV Broadcast, the necklace is now being sold in 3 colors: rose gold, gold and silver, priced from $72-62. Part of the proceeds will be donated to this wonderful organization which promotes cancer research and the movement to end all cancer, forever.
Purchase this gold version here for $72
3. Don't have time to bake your own holiday cookies this year? Not only will Baking for Good will send cookies and brownies to your loved ones, but they will also donate 15% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice. Almost to sweet to swallow!
Order a dozen Snow Day Gingerbread cookies here for $36
4.The holidays are often a time for entertaining and flowing wine. For your next holiday party why not toast to charity? ONEHOPE Wine is a company which donates HALF of their proceeds to a variety of charities.
Purchase this 2009 Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir for $23.99 and ONEHOPE will donate $4.00 to Supporting Children's Hospitals and $2.40 to a charity of your choice.
1. Uggs are the perfect holiday gift, especially for ladies. So why not give a pair that gives back to an organization that fights to protect her pair!
Purchase here for $99.95
Purchase here for $149.95
2. The ever-popular jewelry designer, Dogeared, has come up with a new Stand Up To Cancer necklace. Premiered at the Stand Up To Cancer TV Broadcast, the necklace is now being sold in 3 colors: rose gold, gold and silver, priced from $72-62. Part of the proceeds will be donated to this wonderful organization which promotes cancer research and the movement to end all cancer, forever.
Purchase this gold version here for $72
3. Don't have time to bake your own holiday cookies this year? Not only will Baking for Good will send cookies and brownies to your loved ones, but they will also donate 15% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice. Almost to sweet to swallow!
Order a dozen Snow Day Gingerbread cookies here for $36
4.The holidays are often a time for entertaining and flowing wine. For your next holiday party why not toast to charity? ONEHOPE Wine is a company which donates HALF of their proceeds to a variety of charities.
Purchase this 2009 Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir for $23.99 and ONEHOPE will donate $4.00 to Supporting Children's Hospitals and $2.40 to a charity of your choice.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Happy Holidays
Call me a Grinch, but prior to Thanksgiving I refuse to listen to holiday music, sip on coffee in a red Starbucks cup, or think about what presents I should get for family and friends. What was last year’s Black Friday is now Black Thursday. Who knows, soon enough holiday shopping may start as early as Halloween. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays, but it seems like every year people start shopping earlier while at the same time losing sight of what this season is all about.
Early reports indicate that Americans spent $52.4 billion over the Thanksgiving four-day weekend and that each individual American will spend on average $700 this holiday season. Because Americans are showing the willingness to spend, I’ve decided to blog throughout December on various organizations that are worthy of your money and time. I think deep down we all know that the $20 we were planning on spending on an ugly Christmas sweater for cousin Jim, who we haven’t seen in four years, could be put to better use.
The first organization I would like to write about is one that I hold near and dear to my heart, Charity Water (a charity also previously highlighted on this blog). This non-profit was started five years ago by Scott Harrison who was a club promoter in New York City. Scott saw first hand how he and his friends wasted thousands of dollars on a weekly basis going out for drinks at night. He decided to ask his friends to give up one night of going out and instead pool their money together so that he could drill a well in Africa. Within a few days, Scott had enough money to drill a well that would provide clean water for thousands of people. Since this first well in 2006, Scott’s organization Charity Water has funded 4,282 water projects all over the world. This holiday season, Charity Water has come up with five ways you can help give clean water:
1) Start a holiday fundraising campaign
2) Donate to clean water projects
3) Give Charity Water presents that give back
4) Come to Charity Water end of the year ball
5) Pay it forward through their Water Forward movement
These 5 simple calls to action can make a significant impact in quality of life for countless families worldwide.
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