What Can You Do?

So, the Fairy Godmother is here visiting this weekend. If you are newish to my life, the Fairy Godmother is my college roommate, and Tyler’s Godmother. I call her the Fairy Godmother, because she doesn’t have her own kids (although she’s been a teacher now for almost 20 years) so she spoils the sam hell outta mine.

The kids go see her every summer, and it’s like the Disney Kingdom has arrived for a tour in Dallas-anything goes. They usually stay about a week, and when we meet to pick them up, they normally half-roll and half-fall out of her car, punch drunk on the normal amount of sugar the average American consumes in a year. It’s all good though. Their eyes are blood shot from staying up ’till 2 am, chugging sodas by the gallon, and walking around Six Flags when it’s 110 degrees. It usually takes me a good week to de-tox them from their annual mecca to Aunt Jennifer’s House.

Every kid deserves a Fairy Godmother, my kids got lucky.

The terrible tragedy in Haiti has really been weighing on my mind this week.

It’s so very easy to live in a bubble, safe under the false sense of security that we won’t fall victim to such a disaster.

A few months back, I started to feel the tug to do something more with my life. Volunteer, do some Missionary work, something…

Maybe it was the ring of the 40th birthday bell? I don’t know.

But, I do know that I’ve had that feeling lingering for a few months now.

Around Christmas, I looked up the details on the Peace Corp.

Don’t worry, Dad, they want a 27 month committment. That won’ t work. Besides, I don’t even have a passport.

But, the siutation in Haiti has turned the nag into a tug, and the people who know me usually know that once I get to the ‘tug’ point, I usually don’t look back.

If it makes ya’ll feel better, I’m looking long term, once Jordan is off to college.

That’s five years away, but five years can fly by.

And, I like to plan early. My dad can vouch for that.

So, I’m thinking, planning , praying, looking at ways to contribute on more of a global level, affect the lives of other people in a postive way.

I remember when Hurricane Ike hit Houston, and we were without power for two weeks or so.

I remember the heat, the humidity, the frustration, how after only a day or two with no power and water, it was really hard to think straight.

But, I had my home, my car, my kids were safe, we had money.

My question is, what will you do, what can you do to help in this situation?

What WILL you do?

What kind of example will you set for your children in this situation?

As human beings on the same planet, we owe it to each other to not assume the neighbors are helping, to contribute something back.

If you have nothing to give right now, take a moment each day for the next few days, or the next week or so, and just say a silent prayer for those men, women, and children, families, affected by this earthquake.

Print a picture of one of the missing from Haiti, hang it on your fridge, and when you pour your coffee in the morning, just say a prayer that the person has been found, or is not in pain.

The thing is, you CAN do something.

You SHOULD do something.

Please do not watch the news, turn off the TV, go to the mall, and think that someone else is helping, this could never happen to you.

You never know when you will be asking a prayer of your own.

http://www.whatisleft.org/lookie_here/2010/01/six-ways-you-can-help-in-haiti.html

www.soles4souls.org

If you enjoyed this post, get the e-mail version, follow my Working Mom series, or become an Examiner yourself!

Follow me for the next 4 weeks as I take part in the Gotta Love Chevy, Mom Needs A Time Out blogging project! There will be daily give aways and prizes! Come on over to our Facebook Group!
Or visit my friends over at Munday Chevrolet, here in Houston! Tell them Shannon sent you!