When I got back from Creative Alliance in Ojai, CA I wrote about how I was ready to do things differently. How I want to use this space of mine on the interwebz to let all of me hang out– not just the parts that I think will get a laugh. Lately, (read: the last year) I’ve found myself getting really annoyed with all the “talking about” that goes on on the internet.
You know, as in, let’s “talk about” the issues… of course by this we usually mean, “Let me post an angry ranty Facebook status against the things I don’t believe in and pray for someone to disagree with me so that I can POUND them with my knowledge and vehement disagreement.” I’ve been guilty of it and that doesn’t make me any less disgusted. Because what I’ve started asking myself is, ” Self– what are you DOING about it?”
If I see inequality, if I see a need, if a disagree with a policy or an injustice– am I simply posting my outrage on social media and walking away? Or am I taking action? More often than not, I found that I was all talk and I was not okay with that.
Because here’s the thing– my heart is so huge for the people of the world. Zebulicious and I traveled doing humanitarian work before we had kids and my soul aches to be “out there” again, playing with orphans and making re-bar out of bamboo, mixing concrete with a shovel and laughing with people who have nothing in common with me. But I am here– and right now, more than anything, I’m called to be a mother to my children.
I started asking myself what I could do in my own community to make a difference. I found outlets to volunteer but never talked about them online because I didn’t want to “humble brag” about myself.
I said that out loud at CA ’12 to two new friends, Tiffany and Danielle. Both of them disagreed. “You have to share. You have to talk about the causes that matter to you. This is how you change the world. This is how you get involved,” they told me.
You know the Facebook “Thankful Challenge” where you say one thing you are thankful for everyday? I haven’t done that this year. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that if you are ON Facebook and can’t think of ONE thing to be grateful for everyday for a month then you are sort of an a-hole. Because you obviously have enough money to:
A) Have a phone or computer
B) Have an internet connection, which also means you…
C) Have electricity, which also makes me think that…
D) You probably have enough money to feed yourself.
And that’s more than most of the world’s population has by far. So I decided to do things differently this year. I took action and started a Charity Water Campaign I’m calling “Put Your Money Where Your Mouse Is”– my goal is to raise $1000 by New Year’s Eve.
I chose Charity Water because 100% of the funds donated go directly to providing clean water, my campaign will be in Ethiopia. They even send you pictures and GPS coordinates showing you exactly where your dollars are going.
If you are ready to take action and make a difference, I encourage you to donate. I want to be known as a doer. I want to be known for the things I passionately support rather than a negative stream of consciousness about everything in the world I’m against.
Every dollar will help and I’m already $150 closer to my goal! Click HERE to donate.