'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down
where we ought to be,
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
to turn, turn, will be our delight
till by turning, turning we come round right.
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day and for many it is a holiday. It is also been declared National Day of Service and according to http://www.mlkday.gov we should serve in order to:
Strengthen Communities
Empower Individuals and
Bridge Barriers
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said "Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve."
He also said: "You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
That's what we believe at Classes for Causes. Anyone can teach and anyone can learn. If you're interested in volunteering for Classes for Causes to help others use teaching as their way to serve, we would love to hear from you as well.
We want to help you build and strengthen your communities, get people together around common interests and raise money for great causes at the same time. We want to empower YOU, the individual to contribute more than the sum of your parts by sharing knowledge and skills for a common good. We want to bridge barriers between people who have money and time to give with those who have very little money and few means to support themselves. Yes we can and yes YOU can. Yes we all can.
Seth Godin's post about National Day of Service and partner plexo squidoo lens offer suggestions on what you can do not just today, but everyday of the year to be of service.
Can you imagine a world where everyone spent even just an hour a week being of service?
Approximately 20 years ago this song made it to the top of the charts. This week we'll see Barak Obama inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. Progress takes time and artists lead the way.
I am inspired by people who do things that are different to raise money and awareness for different charities. There are opportunities everywhere you look. Sarah McLachlan gives us a great example with her World on Fire music video. Enjoy.
Also take a look at how little money it could take to make a big difference in the lives of people in other countries. We are very lucky to live lives of luxury and excess even in these rough economic times. Remember that your $5 could feed a family for a week.
Today a woman approached me and a client as we were finishing up a meeting in the lobby of a hotel in San Francisco. The woman has locked her keys in the trunk of her father's car along with her purse. Her father was unreachable as he didn't have a cell phone ("he believes they give you brain tumors") and he was in Tahoe "playing in the snow." The locksmith had already come to help her get into the car, but wouldn't do the job, because the car wasn't in her name. She looked embarrased and sheepishly asked if she could leave her watch with us if we lent her busfare money for a trip to Woodacre to get the other keys and come back. The cost was $7.40.
What would you do? This is a spur of the moment decision. Quickly. Do you give her the money or wish her luck?
I reached into my wallet and the only thing I had was a ten dollar bill. I gave it to her saying, I won't be back today, so keep your watch. She thanked me and told me her name was Celleste.
Was I duped? Maybe, but as I told my client, I felt better giving even if scammed than if I had kept my money. Giving has a special power, it's not just the gift that matters, the act of giving feels good even under the most auspicious circumstances.
I have done this before when I was offered an umbrella in the poring rain by someone just trying to get enough money for a hotel. I told him to keep his umbrella and gave him ten dollars. He was extremely grateful and you know I felt like a million bucks even if I was soaking wet.
Try it. Give something even if it might not be the right decision. And then let me know if you don't feel good anyway.
Are you setting up your own online business? Are you considering running a side business to earn a bit of extra income?
Sign up for our PayPal 101 class benefitting Support Network for Battered Women and learn how to use the world's most popular online payment system, including the basics of setting up an account, sending and receiving money, and how to buy and sell online with PayPal. Also learn how to stay safe online and protect yourself from online fraud and identity theft.
Damon Williams is the author of Pro PayPal E-Commerce, the definitive source on effectively using the PayPal service. He has worked at PayPal since 2004 and has led training sessions all over the world.
If you want to know more about the human body from a person who has spent thousands of hours studying it and practicing ways to help people maintain optimum health, check out Helen Bae's class on Women's Endocrinology this Sunday, January 11th at 1:00 p.m. in San Francisco. The class is two hours and tuition fees are donated to Support Network for Battered Women in San Jose.
Want to know what Endocrinology is? According to Wikipedia, it's "a branch of medicine dealing with disorder of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones."
Helen Bae is a dynamic person who exudes passion for her work and helping people. She has a lot of experience giving seminars as well as teaching people one-on-one. Don't miss this opportunity to understand your body better and help battered women at the same time.
This morning, I heard this story about Orchkids and the Baltimore Symphony stepping up to make music available to all and it moved me to tears.
Baltimore Symphony music director Marin Alsop, who contributed $100,000 from her MacArthur "genius grant," says she's not worried about launching a new multi-year program at a time when many other arts organizations are laying people off.
"Economic hard times are going to come and go," Alsop says. "But our responsibility doesn't come and go. I mean, just because we hit a major speed bump, I think that's the moment to step up even further and be bold and do something important. And maybe, in some ways, it enables us to remember that life is not about money. Clearly, this was the best $100,000 I've ever spent."
Our responsibility doesn't come and go. Be bold and do something important. Life is not about money, it's about giving.
