Thursday, September 01, 2005
I AM OUTSIDE OF MY BOX
My friend Julia passed this note along to all of her friends and I thought it worth sharing. It's the answer to "What can one person do to help when faced with devastating horror?" No, I didn't put this up just because she happened to use the cover of the newspaper for which I work. Julia says it more directly and honestly than anyone. The rest of this post belongs to Julia. ake it away, girl!
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Morning Everyone!
I hope I have your attention with the cover of the New York Post in Manhattan. I have cried last night, this morning at my desk and again when speaking with a co-worker. As my husband knows, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and images like this and the ones I have watched on the news have touched me. I am somewhat ashamed that I have hidden my head in the sand so often at the hardships that other nations endure. In discussions with my husband, it has been pointed out to me how other countries have hardships to endure JUST LIKE this if not worse.
Last evening I said to Perry that it would be nothing for name brand corporations, IE Pepsi, Nike, etc., to drop a million dollars each to help. Many of you have received the e-mail on Bill Gates fortune and how many years it would take for him to spend all of it. I certainly pray that Bill has already donated a sizeable contribution and that others like him will follow.
Well, my reason for this e-mail is to stir some conscious thought to all that I know and ask that you copy, NOT FORWARD, this message and SEND AS A NEW BCC E-MAIL to others. Perry and I plan on sending money. I just can't see myself living in this nation only watching and not helping.
No we're not rich, BUT
- you got $10 for movies and more for popcorn
- you're about to eat-out at McDonald's or a local deli on the weekend
- you're about to spend $15 at the $10 store
- you want to buy 2 drinks at the club
- going to buy an extra CD or two
- spending $5 on lotto tickets
...well I'm sure you could come up with a few scenarios. Just STOP! and consider not doing any of these things and just send that money to help the victims of New Orleans and/or Gulf Port, MS. If you think about it, we Americans live abundantly with extras, but don't designate them as such. And think deeper, you and I weren't hit with such a disaster, but with all that mankind has done to this planet anything is possible.
Economically, the effects of this disaster is trickling down to us all in other ways. First up and in our faces is the high cost of gas, this cost will transfer to transportation going up and it has already. Then the cost of retail expenses, IE food, clothes, housing. The domino effect is in motion and will grow, some areas subtly and other blatantly.
And yes we will all have problems, but the enormity of them is slight in comparison to this disaster. Let's all get outside of the "boxes" that we live-in and are absorbed with. THE AMOUNT is NOT IMPORTANT, but the EFFORT IS, of what you do.
REMEMBER TOMORROW IS PROMISED TO NO ONE.
Peace & God Bless - J
The following link will take you to a website page that will give you information on where contributions can be made.
