"Helping Others": The Meaning of Christmas

"Philly," a homeless man in Louisiana, set up a tree which was then taken away by the city.  

When people in the area heard what had happened, they brought trees, decorations, and gifts (to put under the new trees).  There were so many trees that Philly gave them away to a women's shelter that didn't have any.  He also said that the gifts people brought were for anyone who needed them.  In addition to the gifts that people donated, Philly said he was most impressed that people were giving each other hugs.  When asked what Christmas means to him, Philly already knew exactly how to respond: Helping Others.  Philly, you are an inspiration and you represent the true meaning of Christmas.  Thank you to Philly and all of the people who reached out to him to share Christmas cheer with their community during this holiday season!

If that isn't a story of hope, community, and love...well then I don't know what is.  Happy Holidays!

Animals: The best teachers?

It's hard not to watch animals sometimes and wonder if they may be more civilized than humans.
Elephants have big hearts (literally).

This Elephant Calf Stuck in the Mud Symbolizes All of Our Stru...
This elephant calf stuck in the mud symbolizes all of our struggleshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SauNUEw_OU
Posted by storyful on Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Empowering Each Other

A local barber gives free haircuts to children before "picture day."  Why?  "Just to support the community...empowering each other."  Good people doing good things and the name of the greater good of the communities where they live and work.  Good on you, dude!

A local barber took time out of his day Wednesday to help out RCSD students ahead of Picture Day!Read the story here: http://bit.ly/1O8w7sz
Posted by 13 WHAM ABC on miércoles, 28 de octubre de 2015

How will YOU use your skills, talents, and passions to Be The Change? 

Change Comes to Those Who Work for It

It may come slower than they'd hope for, but women around the world - victims of rape, domestic violence, communal violence, and oppression by their traditional communities for the sole fact that they were born females - are making big changes.

I read an uplifting post about women who were beaten for selling goods in their towns where this was considered acceptable only for men.  After being beaten, and finding that her husband had done nothing to defend her honor or life during her hospital stay, she decided along with some other women to start a village FOR women and led BY women.  While disturbing to note that men had gone so far as to blockade the entry to the female-only towns and even to beat the women in front of tourists who give them their livelihood through visits and the buying of traditional jewelry and crafts, it is incredibly invigorating to hear that the women persevered, bought land where blockades had occurred, and have continued to fight for their rights to life free of violence and oppression, both as women and as human beings.

While destroying traditional patriarchal norms of their people, they are creating new traditions that accept women of all ages and their children.  They accept male visitors who are invited in but they are not allowed to stay.  Other similar communities are cropping up nearby, with different rules and regulations and hierarchies, but all with the same goal in mind: to change the world for women, to make it a better place where they have voices and power over themselves.

You can check out the full story and some gorgeous images of these world-changing women by clicking here.

Interact!! Dance Partyyyyy!

Open up!  Be you!  What better way than dance?  I love how these people let loose.  

Great idea, Brooklyn team!

People are Awesome: No Barriers

Each of us face barriers when we go out into the world every day.  Some of them are physical, some mental and emotional.  Samsung created a way to reduce barriers for hearing impaired people and in the process, they show all of us what type of difference reducing barriers between ourselves and those around us can make for everyone involved.

This is just one barrier that can be broken down using some heartfelt intention to make the world better along with some good technology and skilled workers.  I love when big companies do things that make the world better.