One For One

It was 3AM.

I was alone, driving downtown Orlando (the scary part) lost while trying to find the location for my sister’s video shoot. (Make it Loud by Martha Munizzi).

It felt so foreign with little if any traffic, empty sidewalks, dim lighting. I admit I was feeling a bit creeped out (and maybe a tiny bit annoyed that I had such bad directions to follow...)

Then I saw them. Glancing up and to the left – behind the empty sidewalk, in the grass in front of an abandoned looking building. A man giving CPR to someone on the ground.

And just like that – my fear vanished… well actually every thought in my head vanished except that I had to help.

I stopped my car in the street, leaving the keys in, engine running and the door open I jumped out, rushing toward to injured person.

About 5 steps away from my vehicle I began to realize there was no CPR going on… It slowly dawned on me that these were two intoxicated people, probably homeless, crouched down laughing. (Probably at me in retrospect!).

Then about a dozen people started stepping out of the shadows all around the area, from each direction.

Again, with out thinking, I began to back towards my car, jump in, lock the doors and head back on my way… realizing that, while my intentions were pure… I was not behaving wisely.

See, I have this problem:

My heart cries out to be Mother Theresa…
but I’m a little to busy at the moment

so check back with me later… 😉

It’s really tough to juggle all the things we HAVE to do, the things we WANT to do AND squeeze in the idea of doing something good for the world too. Something “BIGGER” ~ something that makes a difference.

Being busy.
Running Here – Running There.
Trying to “Have a Life.”
Working to make ends meet.
Attempting to take care of all of our responsibilities…
Sometimes it’s overwhelming.

But I do believe with all my heart that ACTION can be taken at any moment, any day. No – it may not be James Bond and it may not get you on the nightly news… but today, someone needs you to DO something.

All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action. James Russell Lowell

That’s why I’d love for you to meet my beautiful friend Michele-Lyn who blogs at “A Life Surrendered.”

Her recent post demonstrating the idea of “one for one” and the power of action is so perfectly expressed that I asked her if I could share it with you.

Below is a peek – then click the link and see the pictures as you read this precious story. I hope it touches you like it did me – and that we all keep looking around and reaching out to our “one”s.

love, mE

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Michele-Lyn ~ A Life Surrendered

The first time I ever heard the phrase, “That’s a first world problem,” was while I was there in Guatemala. It was said in jest, and I didn’t think much of it because I didn’t really know what it meant. That was, until I made it back to the first world. Then, I got it.

A few days ago my husband, my son and I were in a city about an hour away from home for a meeting. After, we had some time to meander around. We stepped into a little store on the corner that sold Toms shoes and I wanted to look.

First world problem: I don’t know which color to buy.

I didn’t expect to become so overwhelmed when I saw the assortment. I am a long way from those dusty, Guatemalan gravel roads, shuffling my feet on these polished wood floors, sauntering toward the rainbow studded wall.

I remembered their dust and remembered their dirt and how they stood respectfully in line. None of them entitled. No shoving. No taking. No impatient waiting.

Just their threads and their dust and their eyes. And her eyes…