What One Man/Woman/Child Can Do

The Spirit is Still Here

2011-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

I live in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. You may have seen the photos of what we received last week, over twenty inches of snow in less than twenty-four hours. It was amazing and wonderful and awe inspiring and big. Very big.
What we were given was a chance to help and help we did. If you watch the nightly news you will see people killing people, people cheating people, people hurting people. This nightly stream enters our sub- conscious and we begin to believe the spirit of kindness is dead, the spirit of good is gone and the spirit of helping has been buried. Believe me when I tell you, the Spirit is alive and well.
People opened their hearts, shared their snow blowers and lent a shovel and a pair of shoulders to dig out cars and clear driveways. People waved at each other. For a day or two our nightly news showed people helping people, people helping pets, people not complaining.
The Spirit is alive and well. You need not have twenty plus inches of snow to find evidence of this Spirit but you do need the snow and the hardship to make the nightly news.
Have a beautiful day.

What is Success?

2011-01-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

The following was submitted by our dear friend, Sherle Stevens. Sherle is a woman who makes an impact on her environment and in the lives of all those who are lucky enough to know her. Sherle's business cards read:
Sherle Stevens
Intuitive Life Strategist

Guidance and support for remembering your Soul's Purpose

And creating a Life you love

www.theherosjourney.net

Somewhere on her cards, those of us who know her, would like the word amazing to appear. Ms. Stevens is a testimony to living life fully and is an example of how to add years to a life without growing old.

She may be reached through her website www.theherosjourney.net or by email cabaretjazz@hotmail.com

Enjoy Sherle Stevens take on success.

SUCCESS

I have been abused -physically, sexually, mentally and emotionally. I have been abandoned, rejected and betrayed.

I have also been loved, respected, cherished and adored – and fully supported. Great gifts have been bestowed on me.

Amazingly, all these actions, behaviors and attitudes have been perpetuated by me toward myself! All the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ – all the ‘light’ and the ‘dark’. Yes, they began in childhood and originated with other perpetrators, but as I grew up and grew older, they all became an internalized part of me – my own voice, my own actions, my own beliefs, my own behaviors, my own choices.

And yet here I stand at 72 – happier and more fulfilled than ever before in my whole life, and looking ahead to a radiant future. How is that possible?

After years of questioning, therapies of various types (some healing, some not) – I have finally stepped fully into my Life’s Purpose as set forth in my original Soul’s Contract.

I could say I wasted 40 years in a ‘successful’ career as an artist that brought me applause and a comfortable lifestyle, but no joy or sense of fulfillment.

But looking back on that time, 12 years after the end of it – I can see that I was always living my Life’s Purpose. I was just not giving it any acknowledgment or much shelf space. It was my sideline – helping others – while I spent most of my time drawing and painting, my own heart empty of expression as I did.

Now I see that I have always had one hand reaching forward into the future, and the other reaching back to try to hoist someone I loved up to the next rung of the emotional/psycho-spiritual ladder. Usually by insisting on reading a passage from a book that was inspiring me or sharing an AHA from whatever healing therapy I was currently practicing.

I had spent my childhood feeling suicidal while pinning my every hope on the possibilities I saw in the movies, of families who were different than mine. I became determined to find the people who were living the life I longed for.

Let me assure you that during these years anyone looking in on us from outside would have seen a safe and financially adequate situation; a home with two parents, only one child (me), who always received food, clothing and an education – even college.

It was a long road to uncovering the source of my pain and lack of self-esteem in such a ‘good’ family. In the various therapies I pursued I was always surrounded by others whose stories were of horrific loss and neglect. It was difficult not to compare my life and feel that I should simply stop hurting and shut up. But I stayed with it until I could unravel my pain, understand it, and finally – forgive it.

And what did I find at the bottom of the barrel? A severe shortage of self-love. There. It’s as simple as that. And yet that is everything.

I’ve come to believe that everyone simply wants to be seen, and then loved for what is seen. If you’re lucky, you may find this mirror in the eyes of someone who does see you – and loves you for what they see. Or you may have to make this discovery all on your own. Either way – you must claim it for yourself – your own love for what you see in you.

Once understood and made aware of the power of the old pattern– I found that this is an ongoing pursuit, and that I must continue to choose to affirm myself with love. Unconditionally.

It’s at once an empowering and humbling awakening, and has finally evolved into making my Life’s Purpose my everyday vocation – professionally and personally. I love it so much that I am never ‘off duty’. And what is my Life’s Purpose? It is to be the Reminder – to remind others who choose to work with me of their greatness, of who they are, to remind them of their dreams for themselves, to connect them to their Life’s Purpose through reading their Soul’s Contract in their Birth Charts. And if they choose – coaching them to reach into their pain from the past, to crack open the door to living from the joy of their own being. To healing their hearts so they may truly love themselves, and become fully alive! I rejoice along with them in their transformations. I am fulfilled. This is success.

What If Up?!

2011-01-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

On August 28, 1963, before a crowd of more than 200,000 people, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a 17-minute speech that changed the world. Although he did not live to see his dream come to fruition, and indeed we are still en route to that mountaintop, the dream remains as a guiding light for those of us who seek to create a more just and peace-filled world.

Today is the celebration of the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. Perhaps he is one of the finest examples of what one man can do. But, are there things we can do, ways of thinking, feelings to nurture that would move us closer to seeing the impact each of us has on this extraordinary world we live in?

Part of our community building weekend, What One Man Can Do” includes an opportunity to participate in an exercise we call “What If Up?” It give us the chance to see new possibilities for ourselves and others. This technology was developed by my friend, Mindy Audlin, who is making a huge difference with her organization, the “What If Up Club.” Check out Mindy’s work - she is a bundle of energy and possibility! http://whatifup.com/

The exercise we do is energy-filled, and an exciting prospect to think in such positive terms. It seems as though it’s the “natural” thing to do is to focus on “What if Down?” “What if I fail, what if I don’t get the support I want, what if I make a fool of myself, what if I’m wrong?” What is stopping us from looking in the opposite direction? “What if I am the one who is meant to create peace in the world, what if it all goes right, what if there is no difference between me and MLK, what if we could say what is on our mind and still be loved anyway?” It’s like a muscle that we need to exercise in order for it to be stronger and more useful to us.

So what stops us from moving in this positive direction? Are we afraid that we would then have to be responsible for what we say? Are we afraid that it’s going to be too much work? Are we afraid that if we spoke our minds that someone might make us wrong or perhaps even harm us for our beliefs? All of these thoughts and fears have run through my mind at one time or another. It always comes down to, “What is my commitment?”

Some of us are happy to make a difference in our families or with one person at a time. Or perhaps it’s just perfect if we are able to take care of ourselves and let peace begin inside of each of us. However we choose to live our lives, can we focus on the upside as opposed to the downside? The answer is, of course, we can! But again, what are we committed to, truly?

Another difference-maker I greatly admire is my friend, Jan Garrett. Jan is from Aspen, Colorado and is committed to making a difference through songwriting. She collaborates with her talented husband, JD Martin.

She and JD, along with their associate and friend, Ester Nicholson, wrote a most moving and inspiring song called, “I Believe This Belongs To You.” Some of the things written about their music are:

A feast of Musical Endorphins!

Masterfully cohesive, well-being made audible

Deep optimism, unmitigated fun

Wise lyrics, kick-ass harmonies

Tasty tunes performed & recorded with a twinkle

and decades of soulful experience

If you do nothing else today, please do yourself the great favor of listening to the song. You can find it through this link: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/167463/4ca337bffd/6000315

I promise you, it’s a life-changing, thought-provoking song. Let it in...it will be well worth it. Check it out...

2011 is My Year of _________!

2011-01-11T18:20:00.000-08:00

2011 - a new year! A new year means new opportunities to commit or re-commit to all sorts of things - health regimens, daily rituals, education, personal growth (is there any other kind?), etc. As someone who is passionate about life, I have designated this to be My Year of Peace.
I intend to make Peace my yearlong priority in several ways: writing about it in articles, blogs and journals; speculating (and asking others to speculate) on what might occur The Day Before World Peace (don't you love that concept - I do!); asking others to consider how they might attempt to win the Nobel Prize for Peace (again, just thinking in such terms has to make a difference); and ending conversations and emails with my word of intention: Peace!
If this appeals to you at all, I invite you to find the answer for you to fill in the blank:
2011 is My Year of ______. Allow the answer to come - do not think!
Then, let the actions that emerge from your heart lead you through the year. New habits, new rituals, new expansions for yourself.
Peace!

A gift from Dennis

2010-12-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Dennis for writing the following: He sent this to our facebook at what One Man Do group. I love it! It is a great Christmas gift. Thank you, Dennis.

Dennis Ducey

I HEAR HIM SINGING

By Dennis Ducey August 17, 1999
Dedicated to the memory of John Denver.

...Once there was a bright and shining Star
who’s voice and words filled my days with joy ---
and whose deeds set an example to guide my way ---

I heard him singing, Songs for all Lovers
Songs that expressed my deepest love - for my lady ---
As if he had looked into - my soul,
and wrote them just for me ---
and I knew that millions felt the same ---

I heard him Singing - Songs for all children,
Songs to End Hunger
Songs to End W-a-r ----
and they touched my soul ----

I heard him Singing - Songs for the Mountains,
Songs for the Rivers,
the Flowers,
and the Trees ----
and they filled my heart with hope and joy ----

I heard him Singing with the voice of an Angle
of his Love for You and for Me -----
and it brought tears to my eyes ---

And now I feel my heart is breaking, there’s an emptiness in side ---
I fear the Light that Brightened my days will shine no more ---
that voice that seem to come from within me ---
that expressed the things I couldn’t find the words to say ---

With the voice of an angle he gave words to my deepest feelings,
words I could not find or express, he expressed with such beauty,
and clarity they spoke directly to my soul -----
He became - - the voice of my soul ------

Oh I know his music lives on and often brightens my days ----
but I never know when his songs will bring tears to my eyes,
or a sense of loss that threatens to overwhelm me ----

And when I think, the emptiness inside me, is more than I can bare ---
I turn to the Mountains and look for there;
I search for him there in the flight of an Eagle,
or the sight of wild horses running free ----

And I hear him singing in the forest, as the wind whispers through the trees
He’s telling us - All that live here - where born to be free ----

I hear him Singing in sounds of the river,
Singing - I want to run Free ------

I hear him Singing in the Cry of an Eagle,
telling us to Be All That We Can Be ----
to stand up for our Mother the Earth,
for the Children, -- to End Hunger, -- to End War ----
and when we do He will be standing there beside us ----

And with a tear in my eye I KNOW he is HERE within YOU, within ME --
And I know the light he has brought into our lives need not go out,
for he has passed the torch to You --- and to Me,
In his songs and his deeds he has shown us the path to a Brighter World ---

Embrace one or more of the causes he worked for, with all your heart and soul,
In your hart you know what to do, find the courage to take a dedicated stand,
and let the knowledge that you can make a difference, brighten your day ---

And if all of that Love him stand up and do one thing to make the world a better
place ---
------- We will surly create a Glow that will light the world. -------

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, my husband and I are living with my 92 year old father-in-law. We have been here for four years and it has had a huge impact on our life. The impacts and insights continue almost daily. This Christmas I have been especially touched by the two men who help us care for our 92 year old.
Chris and Marek have become a part of our family and this year I bought stockings that matched ours and hung them above the fireplace.
Chris approached me last week and very shyly asked if I was complete with my holiday shopping. I had barely begun composing the list of what we were buying and gave him that information. He then mentioned that he had noticed the stocking with the embroidered "C". "I am thinking the "C" is for Chris and that it is for me." Chris is normally not shy and I was wondering what he was trying to say. He then said, "If you have not gotten something for me, I have a special item I would like." My first thought was. "Good." I was struggling on what to get this man who loves our 92 year old almost as much as we do.
Chris the asked that we make a donation to the Jesuit Refugee Service to benefit the Haiti Earthquake Relief. Chris had heard a Jesuit speak at church recently. He was deeply moved and wanted to make a difference. His difference is to give his gifts to those who are suffering this year. This is not surprising. Chris is a man who gives daily. He gives not only to us. He works 50.5 hours a week, is actively involved in his homeowners association and the Eastern European community he is a part of. On Sundays you will see him at church volunteering at the "after the service" cafe.
We have honored Chris's wish to take the money we would have spent on his gifts and written a check to the Jesuits. I wanted to send the money in his name but Chris would have none of that. The gift was anonymous. The gift of Chris is anything but anonymous.
If you would like to contribute, you may write a check to the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and send it to : 1016 16 Street NW Suite 500 Washington DC 20036. Let them know it is for the Haiti Earthquake Relief.
Have a Light filled season.

End of Year Reflections

2010-12-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

The end of one year and the start of a New Year has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I imagine a white board filled with diagrams, words, drawings and possibly even some numbers and then I am able to erase all the overlapping lines and once again I have a brand new, sparklingly clean, white board. A fresh start. A chance to improve. A new beginning.
As we close out 2010 it is a good time to reflect on what you would like to erase and also what you may want to keep.
2009 was a year I wanted to throw a great deal away but 2010 has been a year of treasures. There are memories, situations and experiences that I will be holding on to and bringing out often to ooh and aah over. It has been a good year. We conducted two What One Man Can Do Gatherings, one in Ireland and the other in Austin, Texas. I was able to see my youngest daughter cross the finish line in her very first marathon. My family gathered in Lake Tahoe this year and all the children and grand-children were together along with nieces and great nephews and sisters. I love gatherings, especially with my large family. This year Peter and I celebrated 20 years of marriage and my belief that men leave was shattered permanently. Many gifts and many treasures. I am grateful for 2010.
As I sort through the year, there will be items I will want to throw out, my overindulgence and short term gratification are leaving. They have served me well and I no longer want or need them. In their place I am expanding gentleness of speech and long term fulfillment. I am also playing with the idea of starting a running program (no promises) and growing my meditation and prayer experiences.
What are you planning? What will you keep and what will you toss out?
Here are a few questions that may help you decide:
1.How effective have you been with the time you were given this year?
2.Who are the most important people in your life and how often do you connect with them? Do they know they are important, do you tell them?
3.What do you most regret from this year?
4. What have you done to deepen and/or broaden your relationships this past year?
5.How often have you laughed?
6.Whose life have you improved?
7. Who improved your life?
8.Do you have a dream that you took no action on this past year?
9.What type of communication have you used this year?
10.Who do you want to forgive? Who do you want to forgive you?
Have a wonder filled holiday season. You are in our hearts. Happy New Year!

Holiday Time = Special Opportunities!

2010-12-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, unlike any other, arrives with so many new conditions:

"Underwateritis" (inflammation of the difference of one's mortgage and appraised home value)

"The Foreclosure Blues" (the emotional result of abode abandonment)

"Walkaway Syndrome" (a reverse-abandonment condition, though equally as devastating)

No doubt, you know someone (maybe more than a few) suffering from the above conditions. And so, you have to ask yourself, "What can I do?"
Mainly, what you can do is let them know you are there for them.
What you can do is listen; what you can do is empathize; what you can do is be there, whenever they might need someone.
Holidays are especially tough on those going through painful times. It seems the gaiety of others makes one's burdens feel even heavier. Choices are blurred by the intensity of the emotions, and the frequent "get-togethers" make interactions with family and friends unavoidable.
Please know that talking, sharing, and expressing can and does make a difference. Keeping feelings bottled up inside does nothing positive. The simple acknowledge of how we're feeling, what we're going through, is like releasing pressure from a valve. It helps!
This holiday season, be available for your friends and family members who find themselves in unfamiliar territory. It is of vital importance. Never underestimate what one man/woman/child (you!) can do.

What's In A Motto?

2010-11-30T14:41:00.000-08:00

Davy Crockett was the only person I ever heard of who had a motto. "Be sure you're right, then go ahead!" I love the idea of having a motto, a rule to live by.
If you were to declare a motto for yourself, that is, a rule to live by, what would it be?
My motto is "Be Intentional." To me, that makes all the difference in living. I'm going to live anyway, so why go along haphazardly, knee-jerking my way through life, when I can get into the habit of having an intention (well thought out, hopefully) attached to the choices I make. It works for me.
At WOMCD, we have a motto: Because We Make A Difference. Realizing this verity acknowledges responsibility. To slide into "What I do makes no difference" is to yield to hopelessness and plop down the land of victims. Probably not a very appealing neighborhood. (Just a guess.) The whole concept and basis for WOMCD is everyone matters, whether they know it or not, whether they are deliberate or not.
If you're reading this, you're most likely interested in our philosophy and purpose.
Please contact us to find out how you can help! We need you! Email anne@womcd.com and get the WOMCD ball rolling your way!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Every year, for sixty years, I have celebrated the fourth Thursday in November - Thanksgiving, U.S.A. In the 1950's, Thanksgiving meant making Pilgrim hats and American Indian headdresses, or tracing my hand on a white piece of paper and turning my five-year old hand into a brightly colored turkey. Thanksgiving eve was spent in the kitchen with my mother, chopping celery, and as I grew older, peeling potatoes. Thanksgiving morning meant the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. My mother would ooh and aah over the giant balloons, wondering aloud at how they could be held down, how they were inflated, and how much fun it must be to be lucky enough to parade with a giant balloon through the streets of New York. She would then sit down, with a cup of coffee and a cigarette in hand, to watch the Rockettes. She would tell my sister, Maureen, and me about Radio City Music Hall and Broadway, and the many wonders New York City held. The stories about the short time my mother lived in the "big city" were told every year, as she and the two of us watched dancers, baton twirling girls and marching bands, large oversize cartoon figures and I was hooked - I wanted New York.
Years progressed, one father left and a new one arrived (along with three new siblings), by then Maureen and I had been joined with a baby sister, Lisa, and overnight there were six children and within a short time, seven. Much changed, but the fourth Wednesday night in November would still find my mother and whatever child was recruited, in the kitchen, chopping, stirring, sauteing and preparing the dining room. Thanksgiving morning still brought the Macy's Day Parade and stories of New York, Broadway, possibilities, and the fostering of dreams. My mother, Patricia, died when I was sixteen. It was August and in a few months, Thanksgiving showed up. On the night before the Macy's Day Parade, I was in the kitchen duplicating what my mother had started when she was a child. I watched Macy's Day Parade and related the New York stories to my three-year old sister.
Fast forward to 2010. It is Thanksgiving morning. My two daughters are far from this place I now call home, my son also is too far away to be here now or last night as I chopped and prepared. There is a different man than the one my children call father who I now love and make a part of my life. Much has changed. Much has continued. The daughter with children was chopping and listening to Christmas music yesterday with her daughters and sons. They had Thanksgiving dinner last night, because my son-in-law had an early flight to see his father this morning. The tall blond daughter helped her sister with some cooking - she loves the preparing more than the eating. My son's daughter and son will make the Pilgrim Hats and Native American headdress. They will all watch the Macy's Day Parade this morning. We will be connected.
These sixty years have seen many changes. Death, divorce, remarriage, new in-laws, new friends, old friends moving away, me moving away, grandchildren, weddings, elderly parents, all a part of the expansion that is life. My daughters and I have been to New York. This year we took a tour of Radio City Music Hall and had our picture taken with a Rockette. My mother would like where I have gone and who I have become. Yesterday, November 24th, my mother would have turned eighty-five. I still miss her. This morning when I get my tea and turn on NBC and wait for Santa to show up at the end of the parade, I will thank her, as I always do, for planting those seeds of tradition, gratitude and wonder a very long time ago.
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. May you find gratitude today and all through your year. May you watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and allow our hearts to connect.

#40 of 40

2010-11-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

John Denver - artist, singer, songwriter, humanitarian, visionary. His legacy lives on through his songs and the seeds he planted - seeds of possibility, seeds of "what if," and seeds of spirit. Denver believed in the spirit of humanity and the ability of that spirit to take wing and soar. His belief that 60% of the power in our world rests in the hands of those individuals who sit back and do nothing, allowing the 40% to rule and run the world. A constant activist to promote peace, save the environment, stop hunger (especially among children), and reach beyond our boundaries in space and sea exploration, Denver walked the talk he spoke.
While strolling down the streets of Aspen, John would leave a conversation to cross those streets to pick up stray trash. His song, "Calypso," was written as a tribute to the work of Jean Cousteau. In 1976, along with Tom Crum, he founded The Windstar Foundation (www.wstar.org) that is still in operation. The foundation has scholarships, is dedicated to the earth and environmental works through volunteering, education and ongoing programs.
Denver, a peace advocate, wrote and performed a song which is now available to watch on You Tube, entitled "Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?)." Denver recorded this relevant piece of music in 1986 with Alexander Gradsky, who, at the time, was the most popular recording artist in the Soviet Union. This was the first time ever that a Soviet citizen was allowed to record with a Western artist, and this single was recorded in Moscow. It also included the men's voices from the Reds Army Chorus. The two performed this song together on stages concurrently from both Russia and America. Unfortunately, the song still rings true. The faces may have changed but the result is still the same. Denver hoped that the 60% would be moved to change the results.
A good friend of Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller's, John also spoke about the energy crisis long before prices at the pump showed they were right. The song, "What One Man Can Do," was a tribute written for Fuller. The chorus, "What one man do is dream. What one man can do is love. What one man can do is change the world and make it work again" not only reflected the life of Buckminster Fuller, it was also the rallying cry of John Denver. It has become our rallying cry.
To write about all that John Denver did, all that he stood for, and all that he affected would take more than a simple blog. We invite you to read about this man, listen to his music, and then live the life you have been given as a contribution. Join us as we celebrate, unearth, nurture and ignite the passion we each have been born with, and with which we can all make a difference.
Action Taken: John Denver lived his passion. He lived his life with intention from the start to the finish.
Find out more about John Denver at www.johndenver.com

#39 of 40

2010-11-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

I first met Terry Lipman on a cruise. I had heard about this vibrant man for a few years from my co-worker, Donna Lipman. Donna and I were the two recently graduated coaches, hired by Debbie Ford to further her training program to advance Integrative Coaching. Donna and I would share stories of our husbands and I knew I would love Terry long before I met him.
I am uncertain as to what hat he was wearing when I first saw him, but I know he was wearing a hat. He wore hats often and I especially remember his red cowboy hat. I am a sucker for accents and Terry had the best Australian accent going. Terry grew up in England and took a ship to Australia when he was in his 20's. He was able to book passage by providing the music on the ship. He played trumpet and piano. One of the many ways Lipman contributed was through his music. His piano still sits in the Austin living room I was lucky enough to relax in, and when I visit I can still hear him playing. Oh, I can still hear him laughing.
Laughter was another way Terry contributed. He knew no strangers and he was fond of telling stories that the unsuspecting would believe were the truth, only to get to the last sentence and know the delight of being tricked by Terry Lipman. According to Terry, all discoveries occurred in Australia and anything worth inventing was from the Land Down Under.
Terry was a man who gave back. A good friend of John Denver's, Terry, along with Donna, were involved in the flagship Windstar Foundation in Aspen, and Terry sat on the board of the foundation in Austin, Texas. After Denver died, Terry went on to raise money and awareness for Windstar to assure it, along with John's global concerns, would not die. Shortly before the tragic accident that took John Denver's life, Denver told Terry his dream to create a film that would showcase John's many passions to save the world. Oceans, hunger, peace, space and the environment were among John's specific causes. He would speak about the urgency of saving our world, saving the children when he would perform, but Denver knew he could reach the multitudes of people he sought through film. His message would be more available and easier to access all over the world. John Denver asked if Terry would be willing to help him. Terry had experience in film production and readily agreed to become a part of the Denver vision. A few days later, John Denver died as he was flying an experimental plane. Terry believed the film would never be made.
Quite a few years later, Betty Sue Flowers challenged the Australian to create the film, "Who better to do this, than you?" she asked. Terry then connected with JoLynn Long who had been working on a film about Denver. Terry produced a short that introduced "What One Man Can Do." Ironically or spiritually, Terry passed away soon after this short was completed. JoLynn continues and has recently completed a moving short and/or trailer using much of what Terry had begun to gather. John Denver's dream lives on. Terry Lipman's dream lives on.
Terry Lipman died suddenly and without warning on June 2, 2009. He lived his life as fully as any man is able. His son, Sam Lipman, is a gifted musician who makes his home in Austin. His daughter, Nanci, a young woman who Skyped with her dad every single morning, lives in Terry's beloved Australia. Of course, Donna, his wife of 18 years, is still in Austin, contributing through her songs, her heart, her coaching and her own passions.
Terry was involved and connected to the Austin community through his work with Challenge Day (www.challengeday.org), Landmark Forums (www.landmarkeducation.com), music and film.
Terry Lipman made a huge difference in my life. He was one of the most curious people I have ever met. He wanted to know what I thought, what I did, and why I did and thought as I did. He would sing as he prepared morning tea and put a plate of strawberries on the table. His amazement and appreciation of the warmth of the tea and the vivid colors of the berries was shared with any person lucky enough to take part in his a.m. rituals. Life was amazing, people were to be figured out, and food was to be relished. Laughter was to be expanded, arms were meant to be shared, and stairs were there to be run up. Life was to be lived fully and without censor or apology. Terry taught me to live in the details. I miss this man of supreme contribution. It is because of him that What One Man Can Do (the movement) was born.
Driving in the car in January of this year, I heard Terry say, Australian accent and all, "What we need, lovey, is a workshop." Peter and I had already planned on presenting a relationship workshop in Ireland in March. The topic was changed, and What One Man Can Do born. Thank you, Terry. Thank you for noticing how very important life and the lives of the people living life are. Thank you.
Action Taken: He lived the moments and knew that life was for living and giving.

#38 of 40

2010-11-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

Yikes! I have been waiting to interview a woman who makes a difference in the lives of thousands of people in the spiritual community. She is a busy woman and has not had the opportunity to be interviewed. I have decided to blog about her at a later date and move forward with the remaining entries.
There are individuals who make a difference daily in the lives of others, some notice what needs to be done and they do it. Others notice what needs to be done and they enlist others to help them fix, or change, or contribute, to their vision. Anuradha Koirala is a woman who saw a wrong, set out to change it, and now has Demi Moore behind her. That is how taking only one step to correct, to contribute, to make a difference, works. Not everyone's path is to do global work. For many, changing family dynamics, contributing to a food pantry, or comforting an ailing sibling is the difference we are to make. The ripples of an action will spread to places you will never see and never know. What is important is to make a ripple. (How does one make a ripple? Dive in!)
Born in Nepal, and a former English teacher, Anuradha Koirala started Maiti Nepal in a small house in Kathmandu with her own savings. Today, she is a widely recognized activist and lecturer, who has dedicated her life to combating the sexual exploitation of women and children. Maiti Nepal is specifically dedicated to the sex trafficking of young (some as young as 7) girls. Ms. Koirala had little idea in 1993 that she would face dangers, abuse and threats as she set about the rehabilitation and support of girls who had been rescued from the sex slave industry and returned to Nepal. Maiti Nepal, meaning, mother's house, has been instrumental in setting up a place of respect for young women who may not be welcome in their homes.
Anuradha is described as a lioness as she protects whom she believes are her children. As she has said, “Each child, what's going to happen? What will happen to them? It really scares me, but then it gives me encouragement. I must do something. I must stop it.” Every girl is like her daughter, her child.
Maiti Nepal now has educational programs to prevent the trafficking - there are types of hostels along the way home, places of refuge where volunteers of Maiti Nepal watch for possible traffickers and offer a refuge to girls who may be additionally abused by border guards.
What was once a small home with one woman who saw a need and acted, is now a worldwide organization with volunteers dedicated to the ending of this terrible practice of forcing young girls into brothels against their will. Ms. Koirala has also set up a hospice center for those women who may be safely returned to their families but now face STDs and AIDS. One step, one decision has the potential to move mountains and change the world. One person matters, always.
Action Taken: Ms. Koirala stated it herself. She asked a question, "What will happen to them?" She then realized that someone must start to care, to come from hope and heart.
If you want to volunteer, send money or say thank you go to: http://www.friendsofmaitinepal.org/about-friends-of-maiti-nepal.php

#37 of 40

2010-11-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Wayne Dyer is an internationally known author, speaker and trainer. His contribution stretches around the globe and his books, C.D's and DVDs have had an impact on hundreds of thousands of people. He is a man who makes a difference. Few would dispute this fact.
As I write this blog, I am struck over and over on how those individuals who make a difference to their community, their families or their world tended to have made a difference even as a child. They perhaps had a longing to contribute or a sense they were to do "something." Some of the people I have researched or interviewed had an epiphany, and a life lived in one direction suddenly was turned and lived in a completely different way, but the majority of the individuals I have spoken to or written of were also children who made a difference. As a matter of fact, many of those written about are still children.
Wayne Dyer is one who made a difference, one who knew at an early age that we humans are to be of assistance to the world. Born in 1940, Dyer spent a good portion of his adolescence and childhood in orphanages and foster homes. His father died early and his mother could not afford to support her children.
Wayne could have become depressed, unruly or bitter. What he did was champion the other children as they arrived at the orphanage, typically for the same reason young Dyer was there - parents could not afford to house and feed their young. Wayne would take a crying child and tell them it was a good place, there were no parents, and they would have fun. He would get them to look at their lives in a different frame. Wayne Dyer would build his career on what he seemed to know as a child - our thoughts shape our reality.
Graduating from high school in 1958, Wayne went on to serve in the United States Navy from 1958-1962. He received his D.Ed degree, and became a guidance counselor and a professor of counselor education.
At first, it appeared that Wayne would lead an academic career. He published in journals and ran a successful private practice. Life was good but there was more ways for Dr. Dyer to contribute. His lectures on positive thinking and motivational speaking drew more students than were actually enrolled. He was getting known for his ideas and his presentations. A literary agent convinced Dyer to take his popular ideas and put them in book form. Your Erroneous Zones was born. The book had rather "thin" sales at first, so Dyer quit his job and began a U.S. tour, selling books out of the back of his car and getting on any radio show he could. Over time, sales began to rise and the major networks became interested in this self-made man. He was eventually featured on national television and Dyer now began to build on that success with lectures and audio tapes (now CDs) and of course more and more books.
Reading Dr. Dyer's books, it is evident that he is a man who continues to grow both intellectually and spiritually. His beliefs became more clear and his writing took on deeper topics.
It is no surprise that books, CD's and lectures gave rise to a film. The Shift, a film produced as a full length movie, has Dyer being interviewed at a get-away spa as those visiting the spa are involved in their own life transitions. Dr. Dyer's goal is to continue to reach greater and greater audiences with the message that each individual has the power to shift their life at any time they decide. It is the belief of What One Man Can Do that we each make a difference and can choose to make that difference, be it positive or negative, depending on our choices. Wayne Dyer helps people with that decision and gives them tools to take the steps to live a life of passion and brilliance.
Action Taken: As Dr. Dyer writes, you will see it when you believe it.
You may find out more about Wayne Dyer at www.drwaynedyer.com

#36 of 40

2010-11-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

She began life in a place few travel to - Saskatchewan. Growing up in snow blizzards, utility outages and setting aside enough food in case of being snowed in were all considered normal. Perhaps it was her early days of learning that when everyone helped, the world was better, or perhaps she was born with an actual need to assist people. Whatever the reason, Linda Debelser-Owen, is a woman who must help.
Growing up helping and planning formed the foundation to fashion an excellent Executive Secretary. Linda is an excellent administrator and has made a difference in the lives of all those she assisted and worked for. For the majority of the world, this is an excellent contribution in and of itself, and makes a difference to the world. However, for this Canadian woman, nothing ever seems to be enough.
In the early part of the 1980's, Debelser-Owen worked at a local school in Edmonton. It was during this time that a five-year old little girl went missing. Mothers were terrified and the school system tried to decide how to educate young children about the dangers of strangers, without scaring them. This is when Linda began what would become a fourteen-year mission. In 1984, she and her husband and children moved to Ontario, Canada and while shopping at a nearby mall, Linda picked up a brochure about a new project that had begun in Alberta in 1983 - Child Find. The brochure was asking for help to build the organization; Linda could have made a sizable donation. Her memories of that little five-year old in Edmonton helped her decide to volunteer.
Taking her own typewriter (no laptops back then), she would climb the three flights to the Child Find office. The office was basically a large closet with one file cabinet and one chair, and Linda would type letters - to corporations, letters to governing bodies, letters to newspapers - seeking money and help. She wrote letters and she wrote education and she wrote solutions. Child Find began to grow. Actual programs to assist the police and inform communities were put in place. The "not-enough"woman then became Secretary of the Ontario Branch as they grew larger, while the original Child Find in Alberta began to grow smaller. Again, Linda pushed forward, becoming Vice President and, then, President of Child Find Ontario. What many of us take for granted in the U.S., Code Orange, all-points-bulletins for missing children, a national clearing house for missing children, and neighborhood watch programs, did not exist at that time. It is because of the Linda Debelser-Owenses of the world that many children are saved and many never taken.
Child Find Ontario knew that a National Program was what was needed next. Of course, Linda was the woman who began to set this up. She became the first National President of Child Find in Canada. All of this work was volunteer. All of this work was draining. Ms. Debelser-Owen has stories that still wake her up at night. Children never found, others found with missing body parts, and others who may have been rescued, but were severely damaged. These are memories that never leave and these are memories that eventually had Linda decide to step away from Child Find, leaving her work for others to continue.
That is of course not the end to what she has done. Divorced in 2000, Debelser-Owen began to take some classes through the Toronto Arch-Diocese of the Catholic Church. Wanting to heal from the pain and destruction of her own divorce, she was soon leading many of the classes that she had recently taken. A Certified Spiritual Divorce Coach, Linda began to dream of places throughout the world where divorced individuals could stop in and have a place to heal. Tiers of Healing was born. The program, originally designed to assist individuals with divorce, has been expanded to include all types of significant loss.
Linda Debelser-Owen is a grandmother, a mother, a master gardener, and is newly remarried. Currently she is living in British Columbia where she oversees the lives of her friends and loved ones. Her home is never empty and her phone never silent. The word has gotten out, Linda heals. She listens. She has a contagious laugh and a full kitchen. Above all, she cares for the human race and needs to help. We are blessed.
Action Taken: The inner need to help anyone who is hurting, lost, hungry or alone.
Linda Debelser-Owen a woman who always says yes. You can reach Linda at ldebelser@shaw.ca

#35 of 40

2010-11-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Derek Blumke was born and raised in Alanson, Michigan. He joined the U.S. Air Force and had multiple overseas deployments since 9/11 (in the Afghan Theater). He had six years of active duty and eventually left the Air Force to attend college in his home state of Michigan.
It quickly became apparent to this young man with the wide grin, that going to college as a returning vet was nothing like attending as a fresh-faced eighteen year old.
Many of the challenges faced by the fast growing group pf men and women returning from war to gain an education, were faced by Derek - older, out of touch, coming from a highly structured, regimented organization where group is above individual, to a campus where freedom and individualism is paramount. Derek Blumke felt isolated; indeed, who wouldn't. He had several choices. He could hunker down, get through school, and build a career. He could isolate further, take up drinking and/or drugging. He could forget his six years of selfless service and join the eighteen-year olds. But, Derek chose something different.
Reading in a magazine about other returning vets, Derek decided he was not alone and he began The Student Veteran Association at University of Michigan http://sitemaker.umich.edu/svaum/home The organization holds regular meetings for socializing, and advocates for Student Veterans. Not content with making a difference at one major university, Blumke began to network and eventually had a part to play in the formation of Student Veterans of America.
Derek Blumke personifies what each person on the planet has the ability to do - when faced with a problem, you have the choice to change the problem and solve it, ignore it, or complain.
Action Taken: The ability to take a problem and turn it into a solution for the greater good.
You can read more about Derek Blumke at www.newleaderscouncil.org/40under40/winners/2010

#34 of 40

2010-11-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

Medical care is hot topic in the United States. Finger pointing, blaming, rising costs, greed and ineptitude make up the stew that is simmering. Occasionally, even a pot of stew will bubble over. That is exactly what happened in France in 1971. That year, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization, created by doctors and journalists. In 1990 MSF-USA was founded in New York City to raise funds, create awareness, recruit field staff, and advocate with the United Nations and US government on humanitarian concerns.
Today, MSF (Doctors Without Borders) is an international movement and organization. They maintain complete independence from any and all government agencies. This gives MSF the unique ability to speak out against atrocities, or neglect, or to bring the world's attention to an area few would like to think about or help.
Doctors Without Borders is neutral. They do not take sides, unless it is the side of the poor, the victimized, or those living in 60 different countries whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides assistance based on medical ethics and impartiality.
MSF is not just physicians giving back. On any one day, more than 27,000 committed individuals representing dozens of nationalities, can be found providing assistance to people caught in crises around the world. They are doctors, nurses, logistics experts, administrators, epidemiologists, lab technicians, mental health professionals, and others who work together in accordance with MSF's guiding principles of humanitarian action and medical ethics. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/aboutus/?ref=main-menu
Doctors Without Borders is supported by donations. 100% of the funding in the U.S. comes from private sources. The entire organization of MSF is 90% funded by private donations, not by governments.
There are many ways to become involved in this divinely inspired association. They of course need donations, but are also looking for interested individuals who would like to volunteer. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/work/field/
MSF/ Doctors Without Borders won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. Want to make a difference? You could do this.
Action Taken: Physicians and others came together to stand up for the belief that all humanity deserves good health care, not only the advantaged people of the world.
You can read more at http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/index.cfm

#33 of 40

2010-11-05T23:43:00.000-07:00

Fifty some years ago today, November 5th, a baby girl was born who would one day grow up to be a major Spiritual Leader. She would be one of two individuals in the world who lead The Shadow Process, a life-changing weekend for the fearless. She would impact hundreds of thousands of people through the use of her powerful voice.
Today is the birthday of Donna Lipman. As a girl, she would tell you she was painfully shy and anxious to please all around her. She did not see herself as a powerful teacher, brilliant seminar leader, or gifted singer. Donna saw herself as perhaps unlovable and/or not quite good enough. Many grow up believing much of what Donna believed.
How did she, a mouse of a girl, turn it all around? She opened her heart. There is a story of Donna as a young girl passing a coveted award she was presented with on to another girl whom everyone teased and belittled. Able to feel the emotional pain of others, turned Donna towards kindness and a life of helping.
Today, Donna Lipman is the woman who organizes and markets the art work of a gifted friend. She is the woman who will stay up until 2:00 a.m. to take one more coaching call from a distraught client. She is the woman who is is still working and studying while the rest of us are watching a movie or having a glass of wine. She is the voice that begins a song first thing in the morning and you can still hear her singing as she is turning off the light. Her talent freely given to anyone who asks for it. Her ear always available to listen to the drama of her many friends. Donna is available.
Donna Lipman is the president of What One Man Can Do. She is the role model for contribution. When her beloved husband Terry was alive, the couple were continually involved in any and all programs that would promote human development. A friend of John Denver's, Donna also sang with Denver http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mxWPd3MiCM She has a her own CD and is a regular in the Austin music arena.
There does not seem to be an end to Lipman's contribution and creativity. At this wrting, Donna seems to have no enemies or detractors. She is loved by all who know her.
Her Action: Show 100%, 100% of the time.
You can reach Donna at donna@donnalipman.com or view her website http://www.donnalipman.com/

#32 of 40

2010-11-05T23:33:00.000-07:00

Bob Browning grew up in a small suburb of Chicago. The oldest in a yours, mine and ours family, Bob left home to take up drumming shortly after high school. A session drummer, he was able to tour with some leading bands in the late 60's and early 70's. Rock and Roll, late nights, shabby rooms and a belief system that did not involve the God he has found today.
Bob is vague in the how or why he had such a major life transformation. The Universe tapped him on the shoulder several times throughout his life and each time he learned a bit more about God, about himself, about life.
When he was living in New York and working as a desk manager at a cheap hotel where transients typically hung out, Browning found himself attending a local Methodist church from time to time where he befriended an elderly woman who became a shut in. Bob had always loved the elderly and he began to visit her. They spoke of books, local events and spiritual matters. The woman flourished and Bob Browning began to read more spiritual books and fewer atheist-inspired texts. Bob flourished.
He is the never-been-married Uncle Bob who sometimes has too many beers or says the embarrassing line. The nieces and nephews could watch and learn as Bob is the nephew who took his elderly Aunt to Europe, a place she had always wanted to see, but could never afford. Bob Browning is the nephew that called another aunt (this one in an assisted living facility) on a regular basis, despite the fact she made no sense on the phone. He is the writer of letters, the one who goes to visit those shut-ins. He shares a joke, a story, an ear, to a segment of the population that few honor or treasure.
Fast forward to today. Bob Browning spends time teaching emotionally and intellectually challenged adults the catechism of the Catholic Church. He took it upon himself some years ago to learn Spanish so he could communicate with some of the people he worked with. This took him to Costa Rica, where he lived for more than a year. His Spanish is now fluent and he has recently applied to work with street kids in Latin American countries. Bob gets no pay for any of the work he does - he volunteers. His long-term intent is to live in Latin America and care for the needy. This is Browning's plan for retirement. No thoughts of travel, golf, leisure clubs. His desire is to follow the gospels he reads daily and clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visit the home bound.
As a single man, never married, no children, Bob will face a day when he may be unable to care for others, and perhaps there will be a someone like Bob Browning who will decide that he or she will make a difference in the life of a shut-in. Perhaps there will be a young man or woman, who for no reason other than he or she believes it is what their Creator would want, that young person will do what Browning has done for others, let them know they still have value.
Bob Browning - a man of God.
Action Taken: Slow but steady. Look for what is in the highest and do it.
At this time the only way to contact Bob is through anne@womcd.com

Post #30 of 40

2010-11-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Did you catch I am now posting a number not a day? I will complete this project and make myself and all of you aware of all that is well in the world - all the places and people that make a difference.
Yvonne and Rich St. John Dutra are two individuals near and dear to my heart. I first met them when I was on staff for The Institute for Integrative Coaching by Debbie Ford. One of the staff members knew Yvonne and Rich and had the honor of attending a Challenge Day. This was in 2001 or 2002 and Challenge Day was struggling with budgets, over worked staff, getting the word out, and getting the amazing program into schools all over the U.S.
The vision Challenge Day held and still holds is: That every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated. As I participated in the high energy, big-hearted processes with 100 teenagers, I knew that this was the answer I needed several decades ago in the high school I attended.
This is not a posting about Challenge Day but please take a moment and check out the site, http://www.challengeday.org/ Bring the program to your school and be a part of the change.
Yvonne St. John Dutra began working with teens over 25 years ago. She was determined that her life, her teen mistakes would be used for the good of children everywhere. Yvonne is a vibrant, heart-centered woman who can join in with teens or their parents with equal ease. Her message of diversity, truth, the oneness we share, has had a positive impact on hundreds of thousands of teens and she has saved lives as she helps shape lives. Challenge Day was and is her baby to get the word out regarding what we can be when we take 8 hours to know who we really are and share it with others.
Rich has a high school teaching background and it is easy to see that he was a wrestling coach for many years. Rich and Yvonne combined their collective passion and experience to co-found the Challenge Day Program in 1987. What began as two people driving from school to school attempting to educate the faculty, parents and students about the oneness of our experiences despite the outward appearances, has turned into a hit show on MTV entitled If You Really Knew Me www.mtv.com/shows/if_you_really_knew_me/series.jhtml
Many people would love to have a hit TV show but Yvonne and Rich care more about the fact their message is being heard by the very segment of society they are dedicated to reaching, teens.
At a time when our news tells us about young people committing suicide before they even have a chance to fully experience life, a show such as If You Really Knew Me is not only important it is vital.
No overnight successes, Yvonne and Rich St. John Dutra held their vision, held their mission, held our children as they took the steps to assure that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated. May they continue their journey.
Action Taken: Never give up. Keep the faith. Keep showing up and doing your part.
You can reach Yvonne and Rich through http://www.challengeday.org/

Post #31 of 40

2010-11-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

"Don't Blame The Game" is a book written by Mike Schwass and Clarence Trausch. Below is a quick synopsis of the book:
In December 1975, then sixteen year-old Michael Schwass sustained a devastating blow to his neck in a hockey accident, which left him paralyzed from the neck down for life. An instant quadriplegic. Don't Blame The Game is the chronicle of this indomitable youth who decided he would walk again, and the astonishing transformation that characterized his journey. Now in his mid-forties, and living in Des Plaines, Illinois, Michael teaches and lectures to audiences all over the country, inspiring his able-bodied listeners with courage and skills to face and overcome their own challenges.
At the end of each chapter, Michael is interviewed by Dr. Clarence Trausch, his long-time life coach, and co-author of Don't Blame The Game. In these dialogues, Michael inspires the reader with wisdom garnered from a lifetime of harrowing experiences and remarkable achievements. His penetrating answers and charming manner hold a treasure trove of insights into the playoff of one of life's most horrifying trials, faced head-on by a stellar personality. What follows is an adventure story - and an opportunity and a formula for conquering your trials too.
Mike Schwass died almost two months ago, suddenly and without fanfare. His life is a testimony to what any single person can do with their life, and it is also a microcosm of what can happen when a person has a strong vision. He lived a life with the intent to motivate, inspire and help others in any way he could. Listening, teaching, coaching and laughing, whatever it took is what Schwass used. He had a web site, Facebook page, and held yearly fund raising events to meet with people and offer inspiration as he raised the money to further his ministry to help those who believed they were out of hope.
When my husband and I met Michael Schwass, he had a ready smile and full belly laugh. Genial and kind, he attracted women and men alike. Everyone loved Mike. His motivation, inspiration and laugh will be forever missed. He lives on in the people he touched, the programs he began, and the stories he told.
On his plain pine coffin was a ribbon stating, Love, Service, Remember. This was Mike Schwass. Love, Service and Remembering a higher purpose.
We miss him.
Action Taken: Mike had a vision and never let up.
Even in death Mike thought of others. He has requested that individuals contribute to a fund for others. Please contact anne@womcd.com and I will put you in touch with the family.

Day or Rather Posting # 29

2010-11-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog I am discovering more and more about the topic of What One Man Can Do and what it takes to be that man or woman or child or being. It takes perseverance. It takes commitment. It takes a humble spirit to admit you just do not know. It takes being embarrassed. I am embarrassed.
Here on this blog I wrote I would do 40 in 40. I assured all those who are reading this I would complete it in 40 days. It is November 3rd. I am on Posting # 29. I have let myself down and I have let those of you who were counting on me to complete 40 in 40. I apologize. My intention and self discipline were not strong enough. I could use these facts to beat myself up, to offer excuses, to share with you my life. I could use the facts to play down what I am doing, I could also just ignore the facts.
That is not what the people and organizations and animals I have been writing about do or have done. They each just get on with the job at hand. It is a great conversation: Do you ever just stop what you know you are to do, longing to do, because you have embarrassed yourself? Stop doing that. Listen to the yearning, the longing; pick yourself up and get going. As Nike so aptly puts it, "Just Do It!"
Lissa Boles knows all about picking oneself up and getting the job done. Lissa told me she listens to her life and then lives her life. Listening to your life. Life is her teacher and she listens, then she takes action. Daily.
Lissa has not just a passion, Lissa has a giant hand at her back moving her forward at lightning speed to fulfill her purpose. What is the purpose of Lissa Boles? Her purpose is to assist others in fulfilling their purpose.
Over the years, Ms. Boles has done this in many ways. She is a Certified Life Coach, Intuitive Astrologer, Speaker and Trainer. Podcasts, Teleclasses, Intuitive Readings - all aimed at assuring individuals fulfill their purpose on this planet.
Lissa was like so many people - she knew she had something to say and had the desire to know who she was. She began the journey by learning who she was not. Many learn who they are not. They are not sales people, they are not parents, they are not students, they are not 9-5 business managers, the list goes on. Who do you know (or sense) you are not? What a vast majority of people is do is find out what they do not like, but then continue doing it. They do not listen to their lives. They do not live their lives. Lissa wants to change that. Lissa Boles wants to assist (business people especially) our planet in waking up to the changes that are occurring at this time in our history and to live out the destiny that expands their spirit.
Lissa believes we are at a great time in our world where, "If you don't love what you do, someone will take your place who does love it." Lissa Boles wants to be certain that every man, woman and child knows their purpose and is living it.
Her Action: From Lip Service to True Service using her voice.
You can reach Lissa Boles at lissaboles@gmail.com Lissa told me her first marriage is with God and everything else flows from that place. She is making a difference daily. Lissa is married to the amazing Randy Boles. They actively chose to sell a large home and move into a tiny cabin on the shores of a Great Lake where they must pull their groceries in by sled. Two individuals who truly walk their talk.

40 in 40 Day #28

2010-09-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

Day#28 Sister Paula Hagen, O.S.B., is a nun with passion. She is a woman who has definite ideas and strong opinions. Sister Paula is devoted to God, and she is not what one would think of when picturing a nun. She speaks quickly, forcefully and with tremendous emotion.
I was lucky enough to meet her over twenty-five years ago. She rode a bike, dressed in regular clothing and wore a large cross around her neck. Her eyes sparkled as she would somehow enlist you to help her and you would be left feeling as if she had helped you. Sr. Paula is the person they wrote about when they fashioned the statement about selling ice to Eskimos.
Her love of families is only surpassed by her love of women and the women who run families. In 1983, she was hired at the church I attended to begin what was known as Family Ministry. She took the church, its families and our hearts by storm. The parish was a very large one in Mesa, Arizona, and not only did Sister Paula learn every person's name, she knew their children, their extended families, and was able to support their dreams.
I moved away from the church during a painful divorce but kept contact with Paula for a number of years. Eventually she moved, I moved and moved again and I also remarried.
Fast forward to last year. Through what appeared to be, synchronicity, I learned Paula was closeby in her home state of Minnesota. I called her, and she had not changed. Her voice after 20 plus years is still strong, still vibrant. Her photos continue to show a woman in her prime, leading the way for families to have meaning.
Sr. Paula Hagen is the originator of a ministry for women entitled M.O.M.S. (Ministry of Mothers Sharing). It is an 8-week peer-based ministry for women to share their faith, their lives, and support each other as they grow in faith. She also leads Women's Retreats with break-out sessions, supports generational sharing through stories and rituals, and is a force that is sometimes disapproved of in certain circles.What I am learning, as I write this blog, is how leaders create controversy and that to change the world and make it new again can be an uphill climb.
Paula believes completely that change begins at the bottom, not the top, and she has devoted her life to changing the way women perceive themselves in The Church and in their families. Her belief is that women must come together, share their stories and support each other's growth (spiritual, mental and emotional).
In addition to loving women, families and God, Sr. Paula Hagen loves rituals, traditions and ceremony. Her ability to bring richness and depth to daily living is perhaps one of her greatest attributes. She knows what it is to live your life as a prayer and she has put together, and continues to put together, programs and processes to teach thousands of others.
Sr. Paula is changing day-to-day life for the better.
Her Action: She practices passion.
Contact Sr. Paula. She is ecumenical and her dynamic presence (even in an email) will charge your day.
srpaula@stpaulsmonastery.org

40 in 40 Day #27

2010-09-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Day #27 I'm taking a chance on my subject for today; please remember I started this blog to write about difference makers. Valentino is a difference maker, as is Coco and Manolo. I personally know what a difference Crash has made to my neighbor and also to me.
Yes, I am writing about dogs. There are dogs on this planet that make a huge difference to our world, they rescue babies from burning buildings, alert their owners to pending fires or break-ins, help law enforcement agencies on the war against drugs. They all deserve their own blog. This blog is about dogs in general, and a great deal about one dog in particular.
As I was meditating this morning, Valentino was right there with me. He has now learned that when I sit on the floor and lean back on the davenport in the living room, it is not time to play, get a belly rub, get a head scratch or some other delicious treat. He knows it is time to be still. I never told him this, but he knows. He will either lay next to me, or take a place behind my head on the sofa and wait for me to be complete. He knows that as soon as I put my journal away, it becomes Valentino time. He is patient. He never rushes me. He is loyal. He shows up again and again. He only wants to be near me, and does not ask for anything in return. Five years ago after surgery, I spent almost a week in a drug-induced fog, praying for relief from pain, and doing little else. Valentino stayed on the bed, his head on my leg or arm. There were no treats, no toys, no wrestling nor hide-and-seek. There was me sleeping. He only wanted to be near me. My thought is, that is pure love. I do not have that type of love. That type of love heals. It heals the body. Research shows that people with high blood pressure are able to lower their blood pressure as they pet or stroke a dog. That type of love definitely heals. I know it heals the heart. 26 years ago my heart and spirit were broken. I owned a Great Dane. She would literally attempt to lick my tears. She'd put her paw on my shoulder and I promise you, she would send some type of energy to me. Well, I know I felt better. Thirty-six years ago my six-week old daughter, Rebecca, died of SIDS. Four months later, my husband came home with a small, red ball of fur. Carrie got all of us through that Christmas.
My younger daughter has a dog that always makes me laugh. The harder I laugh, the more Manolo runs in circles, jumps up and over whatever is in her space, and I can feel myself lighter and brighter. Coco belongs to my other daughter. She will curl up with a sick child or an upset adult, or attack what she believes are those possibly wanting to invade the space of my daughter and her family. Coco knows her job is to care 24/7 for a family of six; she seems to love her work.
I would love to hear about your dog (or cat). Donna Lipman, the president of WOMCD, has two cats, Romeo and Tilly. When her husband, Terry Lipman, died suddenly, they both stayed with her. They got close as they seemed to share in her grief. Our animals, I believe, are a way for us to experience unconditional love.
Much has been written about unconditional love. Perhaps saints or the holy men and women of the ages were able to love in this manner. As I said, I know I do not seem to be able to do this. Intellectually, I can love humanity; I am able to feel compassion for those who do not behave in ways that are helpful to me, and I have finally reached a point in my life where I am able to forgive quickly. I know, beyond a doubt, that I can not, do not want to, probably will never, follow those I love the most while they ignore me. I want something back. Something more than a walk around the block, or time to run in the park.
Action Taken: Acceptance, devotion, unconditional love.
If you don't have a pet, find a cat or dog at your local pound and adopt them. You will be healed.

40 in 40 Day #26

2010-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Day#26 My hope is that as you read these blogs, you will become inspired. Perhaps you will say to yourself, "I could do that!" or "I am going to contact that person and contribute some time, talent or money to assist them." or maybe you just read the day's entry, smile and feel better about the world we live in. That is my intention and my hope. My other intention, though secondary, is also very strong. I want to acknowledge those I write about. I want to thank these incredible human beings for listening to an inner prompting, and taking the action to make our world (and theirs) better.
Today's blog is an acknowledgment of a man who listens to the dreams of others. His kindness as he listens is astounding. No matter the topic or subject, he has the ability to access a kind place within himself and respond to the speaker in a direct and compassionate tone. In times of sadness, distress, planning, shock or anger, it is amazing what kindness can do to make a huge difference in a person's outlook or future.
Peter Schroeder was born with one hand that was not fully formed. Despite several operations, his hand never fully developed and he was left with what his granddaughter calls his "baby hand." Courage is also a part of Mr. Schroeder's make up. Not the type of courage that would take him to bungee off a bridge, nor the type of courage to defy the Midwest rules of behavior he was brought up with. His courage is the type that came from learning to tie his shoes with one hand, to play baseball everyday after school despite being the last kid picked for the team. His courage would lead him to learn and play the guitar and golf and one day say, "My hand did not happen to me, it happened for me." This is not a Pollyanna approach. Peter believes it. "It makes me memorable," he says with a smile.
Peter Schroeder is memorable not because of a misshapen hand, he is memorable because his mission is to connect with as many people as he can every day. He believes he can "make their day" and he does. A tired and overworked gate attendant at the airport finds a smile when Schroeder shows up with a cup of Starbucks with which he surprises her. The bagger at the local market lights up when Schroeder asks him what is his favorite movie, or who he would most like to see in concert that weekend. Peter Schroeder talks to people in elevators, and people love it. Some smile, some laugh and they all depart a little lighter, a little brighter. Peter has "made their day."
A present day knight, Peter Schroeder seems to be a throwback to another age when valor, honesty, kindness, and loyalty were words that men lived by, words that set them apart and put them at a round table to help shape the land they lived in. Peter believes human beings are born with these attributes and they only need a nudge to appear. This is not a man who knows cynicism.
Peter is the guy on the bowling team, the man who holds the door and winks at the little old lady walking through. Charm helps, as do blue eyes that sparkle. He likes absolutely nothing better than to share, which he does through writing (he is a published author - "It's Your Movie" and "Ten Tips for Family Caregivers"), through performingh (he is a singer songwriter - look for him on iTunes), through coaching (a Certified Master Coach), through motivational speaking, and most recently he and a friend began, Elder Proof Home, an online site that addresses keeping seniors safe, independent and thriving. The new site has articles, tips, a variety of products, and coaching for family caregivers. Elder Proof Home is a result of Mr. Schroeder's involvement with his elderly father. He (Schroeder) moved from Sedona, Az. to a suburb of Chicago to supervise his father's care almost four years ago. What he thought would be a 6-9 month commitment has turned into a much different outcome. Living in his father's townhouse, returning to sub-zero temperatures and dealing with the day-in and day-out stresses of being responsible for a 92-year old man with dementia, has been what Peter describes as a mixed blessing. When asked why he moved in with the senior Mr. Schroeder, Peter reports there was no other option. He saw a need and knew he could make "his father's day."
His Action: Take the high road. Recite the boy scout code and live like Davy Crockett.

Peter Schroeder makes a difference to a wide variety of people daily. He uses any avenue open to him to bring joy and kindness. He believes this to be his sacred mission.
You can reach Peter at pete@peteschroeder.com His books are available on Amazon and ElderProof Home
Some of his songs are on iTunes and others on www.peteschroeder.com He also has a variety of You Tube presentations, some are listed as A Man For All Seniors (Schroeder performs for seniors), others are listed as Peter Schroeder or PGS. Do yourself a favor and let him "make your day."
Peter Schroeder is a principle in the WOMCD movement.

40 in 40 Day #25

2010-09-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Day #25

"If we are to move from a culture of war to a culture of peace, then we will have to unite around the most fundamental issue that humanity faces – the protection of each other and our environment. 21 September is the starting point. Individuals can make a difference. By working together there will be Peace One Day.”
Jeremy Gilley, Founder, Peace One Day

http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/659-peace-one-day#ixzz10CcIL4Vf

Jeremy Gilley is a filmmaker who at one time was an actor. Born in 1969 he acted for about a decade and then in 1994 began his own film making company, P.U.R.E. Productions. His internationally acclaimed documentary, "Peace One Day" was a journey that spanned five years. Jeremy met with heads of states, freedom fighters, international aid agencies, Nobel prize winners, people from every walk of life and people from around the world. His finished documentary, which documented his findings, was the impetus he needed to approach the United Nations. He was aiming for a U.N. resolution declaring one day of the year a Day of Peace.

The resolution only took three years to be completed and ratified. In 2001, September 21st was named International Day of Peace or World Day of Peace. This year, 2010, we celebrate the ninth World Day of Peace and we owe our thanks to a man with a dream, Jeremy Gilley.

Not content with one film, Gilley produced another film, "Day After Peace" and launched what he refers to as a Portal for Peace: http://www.peaceoneday.org The site invites participation, offers free education, has news from around the world that motivates and inspires the spirit, and has a bit of the history and vision surrounding Peace One Day.

Mr. Gilley has set up numerous avenues to reach the world with his mission of peace...

*Global Ask - life saving initiatives around the world.

*Football - football matches to be played on September 21 (World Peace Day) all over the globe utilizing players from different cultures and communities. Football has a One Day Goal that celebrates cooperation, unity and the power of football to bring people together.

*Annual Celebration - began in 2007 in New York with the goal to spread around the world in key areas.

*Education - as of today this branch of Peace One Day has produced a 17-page lesson plan that teaches the link between sustainability and peace. It is the goal of Peace One Day to provide every school on earth this much needed lesson plan.

* POD T.V. - this is my particular favorite. A dedicated channel for peace. I wonder what it might be like to see events that promote peace on the nightly news before bed. I just believe we would all sleep more soundly.

Jeremy Gilley, a man with a dream.

His Action: Bold action. He took his dream to those who could make it a reality as he continues to expand the dream.

September 21st is International Peace Day. If you want, you could make every day Peace Day. Go to www.peaceoneday.org and join in some way.

40 in 40 Day #24

2010-09-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

Day #24 Most of us know the power of positive thinking. How many of us believe the power truly exists, and use it to make positive thoughts a daily and hourly habit? For many adults, the response to the power of thought is a roll of the eyes or the words "it's merely a coincidence." Time seems to have worn some people's belief in their own power, or the power of the Universe, down or perhaps diluted their belief.
Mackenzie Saunders put her belief into action after a soccer accident in which she collided with another player. Her mother noticed Mackenzie bounced right back up, as usual, but within minutes, it was evident that something was wrong. Limping, Mackenzie complained that her legs were burning, and her mother noticed the unusual tears. Mackenzie was not a crier. Going to the ER, the little soccer player could not feel her toes, and her legs were in terrible pain. Tests revealed that she had fractured her tailbone and a vertebra in her lower back. Spinal cord injuries are serious and it is often impossible to predict long-term outcomes. Nobody could tell Mackenzie's mother if or when Mackenzie would walk again. No one, that is, but Mackenzie.
Pain was excruciating, yet the doctor stated that sometimes pain showed the possibility that nerves were healing, although it could also mean that her paralysis was spreading.
Mackenzie decided she would walk again. As the days stretched into weeks, and then a month, there was no relief. Painful therapy to exercise eleven-year old legs would lead into such a struggle for the little girl, that it brought tears to her mother's eyes. Mackenzie focused on what came after the therapy, for it helped her move through the pain. After the pain of daily therapy, came a time for visitors. Mackenzie enlisted all those who knew her in her vision of walking again. She went so far as to put a photo of herself in her soccer uniform with the words, Think positive, in all her thank you notes. When told to pick out her favorite color cane, Mackenzie Saunders declined any cane. "I will not be needing a cane." In time, Mackenzie's belief and determination had her walking on her own. Transformation from paralyzed legs to walking under her own volition would be enough for any child (or adult!) to accomplish. It was not enough for Mackenzie.
Returning to school, Mackenzie did not sign up for soccer but rather chose to enroll in speech. She had another vision, another belief. She would share her experience with others who needed hope. Returning to the hospital where she had learned how to come back from paralyzed limbs, she now traveled as a spokesperson to visit kids with injuries. TV brought her story to others who had lost hope, bringing them a light in a place of darkness. Mackenzie brought her belief and continues to bring her belief of hope to all who meet her.
Mackenzie Saunders, a real life hero at the age of eleven.
Her Action: When faced with a choice, she chose hope and determination.
See her story on you tube www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXGdiKu_f_M

40 in 40 Day #23

2010-09-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Day #23 Divorce can be an upheaval in any person's life. Changes in finances, changes in housing, changes in friendships, changes in dreams for the future are only small parts of what happens when a marriage ends. Difficult at best for adults. Imagine the impact on a child.
Carolyn Ellis not only imagined the impact, she took steps to reduce this impact. Finding herself divorced and the mother of young children, Carolyn looked around and asked herself, "How can I be a single woman with children?" How could she deal with her own anger, her hurt and betrayal, and yet support the love between her children and their father? How could she deal with the overwhelming guilty thought that somehow she could not "fix it" for her children? What did she need to do to care for herself at a time in her life when all she really wanted was to stay in bed and cover her head? The questions prompted answers.
Carolyn is an intelligent woman who has been involved in the self-growth and transformation field for a number of years. She was wise enough to use a coach to assist her to find answers as she took the needed time to journal the inner wisdom that came to her as she questioned.
Eventually, she began to organize her wise and practical answers. Those answers would be translated into a book to help others. "The 7 Pitfalls of Single Parenting: What To Avoid To Help Your Children Thrive After Divorce," by Carolyn Ellis, was published in 2007. The book is a Best Books Award Winner (USA Book News) and an invaluable tool to assist divorced or divorcing parents during a time of upheaval and chaos. Had I read this book 25 years ago, I would have avoided a great deal of mistakes.
The book was actually a launching pad for Ms. Ellis, who has gone on to create a thriving business that helps individuals Thrive in a wide variety of life situations. Her techniques of Thrive can be viewed on her websites www.thriveafterdivorce.com and www..brilliancemastery.com
Her Action: Carolyn used her adverse situation to find answers for herself, and she then was prompted to share her answers with others. I also know her to be a woman of great self-discipline.
Please contact Carolyn Ellis through her websites and sign up for her newsletter. She offers classes and podcasts in addition to coaching.

40 in 40 Day #22

2010-09-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

Day # 22 Have you heard of Geoffrey Canada? If you are poor, black and attend school in New York's Harlem Children's Zone, you would know Mr. Canada very well.
Geoffrey Canada grew up poor in the South Bronx. His parents divorced and Canada's father had little contact with his children and there was no support for the family. Mr. Canada has become a champion of the need for fathers to be involved in their children's lives. As a society, we have come to accept the disappearance of fathers and have forgotten or denied their vital role in the raising of children. Geoffrey Canada keeps us reminded.
Knowing first hand how unfair life can be, Geoffrey Canada does not and will not succumb. Receiving a Bachelor's Degree from Bowdoin College, Canada went on to receive a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard Gradu ate School of Education. Mr. Canada has used his degrees to help children whom he believes are born longing for something bigger.
Starting as president in 1990, Canada began working with the Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families which evolved into the Harlem Children's Zone. Unsatisfied with the scope of Rheedlen, Canada transformed the organization's makeup in the late 1990s into a center that would actively follow the academic careers of youths in a 24-block area of Harlem. The goal is to increase the high school and graduation rates of Harlem students, sometimes enrolling these children before birth. The Harlem Children's Zone has become a model for other programs in the country and expects to serve over 18,000 children by 2011. Tracking children from kindergarten through high school and beyond, Geoffrey Canada has shown what can happen when children are cared for by adults who believe in a child's promise, and work to bring that promise to the world.
Mr. Canada is the founder of The Harlem Children's Zone. This program is multi-faceted and addresses not only educational needs, but also social and health needs of the children who participate. Geoffrey Canada would love to replicate the success of this program in other cities. I would love to see him accomplish this goal.
His Action: He gives back. He sees a need, identifies with the longing, and gives back to the place from which he came.
In 2005, U.S. News and World Report named Geoffrey Canada one of it's Best Leaders.
To read more or contribute to this plan for the future go to http://www.hcz.org/

40 in 40 Day #21

2010-09-14T18:17:00.000-07:00

Day #21 Joumana Rizk is a woman who giggles when you compliment her, praise her or list her large body of work and accomplishments. She is humble in certain arenas and yet her passion has been the theater. As a child she would create plays and when she was sent to school she would organize the other students and Joumana would become the Theater Director. The school she attended had no formal department for drama so Joumana did what she does best, she created the structure to assure there would be productions. Little did she know that she was in training to produce worldwide events as an adult.
Ms. Rizk was born in Lebanon amid the conflict of the country and the conflict of her family. As a child she noticed the philanthropic work that her mother took part in and paid close attention to the work her father was creating, the infrastructure of their country. Both parent's interests and skills would come together in Joumana, shaping her life path and great ability to develop programs that make a huge difference in the world.
At the age of 14, Joumana was moved to the United States with her parents. Guilt would surface years later when Joumana thought about her homeland and what she had left behind when she departed Lebanon. This led her to take her skills she had developed through her training with Debbie Ford (see entry #2) back to Lebanon to lead the first Shadow Process in that country. Joumana has led workshops that explore the shadow in New York and Lebanon. Her dedication to peace and conflict resolution was born, according to her, from the conflict she saw around her as she grew. She knew there was a better way and when her frustration with her career in the theater led her to the work of Debbie Ford, she had a spiritual awakening that continues to this day.
Not one to take the middle road, Joumana Rizk went from an avowed atheist to becoming a representative of Amma (NGO M.A. Math) at the United Nations. Amma is a Hindu religious leader who some believe to be a present-day saint. Joumana has taken her role seriously as she embraces the teachings of this very holy woman.
Continually striving to bring peace to the chaos of the world and the individual, Joumana has recently launched Peacelights, an organization dedicated to changing cultural shadows through personal transformation, arts and media projects, and leadership development. Her list of achievements and involvement in charitable events, organizations and development is extensive. She will not tell you all that she does unless she feels she can somehow help you. Joumana Rizk embodies the aspects of WOMCD. She dreams, loves and changes her world to make it work again. Her actions result in a better place for each of us. Now and in the future.
Action Taken: Action and movement is what this gifted woman carries into every area of her life.
You may reach Joumana at info@peacelights.org Peacelights is currently planning two great events for Peace Day, which is September 21st. They are looking for individuals who would like to take the word of peace to the streets on the 21st (or any day:).

40 in 40 Day #20

2010-09-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

Day #20 I am half way through my 40 in 40. As with almost everything in my life I have learned more than I have taught. I imagine by day 40 I will learn even more. I love that about life. As humans we think we will teach or give or share and the person who really gets taught, the person who really receives, the person who really benefits from the sharing, is the person who initiated the process. Very cool, Universe. I like how you do things:)
At this half way point, I am dedicating this day to those of you who are waiting in the wings to share, to teach, to give, to contribute. You are making a difference.
You are making a difference to the classroom waiting for a man filled with passion to share his knowledge of the civil war with them. They will learn about the Civil War (or Math or Shakespeare or Botany, etc) but will they get the spark? Will it come to life for this classroom who is waiting to come to life? You are making a difference to the young woman walking the baby carriage back and forth, day in and day out, waiting for someone to say "Hello" or to invite her to have coffee and to guide her in the ways of parenting or to listen to her frustration. She will release those frustrations (maybe on the baby, maybe by having a few too many glasses of wine) but frustrations get released and loneliness is solved, not always in ways that benefit the lonely, but it is solved. Do you believe you may be saving a life, shaping a life by inviting someone to coffee? I know first hand that you are. You are making a difference when you vote. You are making a difference when you smile. You are making a difference when you call. You are making a difference. You always make a difference. Always. If you lay on your couch, watch soap operas, smoke crack and never leave your apartment you are making a difference.
My question on Day #20 is what type of difference do you want to make? What would you like to learn? What would you like to have someone share with you? What would you like someone to give you? That is the difference you may choose to make or not. You get to decide.
Action Taken: Ability to decide

40 in 40 Day #19

2010-09-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Day #19 I get lost. If I have been to a particular address several times I can still get lost driving there. I especially get lost as I return home. MapQuest was a help when it came out but often I still got lost. I have accepted this fact and for years depended on the kindness of strangers as I would stop and ask how to get where I wanted to go. People are very kind and I quickly learned that people will often tell you what they believe to be the correct directions, so you can be happy and not in a panic. Often, I was given incorrect directions and became lost and had to stop and ask again. My car has several maps. I like maps unless I am trying to determine where I am and where I am going. I do not like to unfold and try to refold maps and I truly detest those F2 or D3 attempts at showing you where you are or where your Dr. office may be hiding on the map.
What does my getting lost and not knowing directions have to do with making a difference? GPS. I was recently given a GPS as a gift. It may be the best gift I have ever been given. My husband and I attempt to never buy any product that has a manual. Our GPS came with a manual, so it sat on the dining room table for almost a month before we worked up our courage to have my husband set it up as operational. He claims it was easy to set up. It is a breeze to use! It has changed my life and I am guessing the lives of others such as myself who are directionally challenged.
I went to Answers.com and asked, "Who invented the GPS?" Here is the answer.
Roger Easton was a collaberating individual among a group of individuals including Ivan Getting, Colonel Brad Parkinson, James Buisson, Thomas McCaskill, Don Lynch, Charles A. Bartholomew and Randolph Zirn.

As is the case with many "inventions," there were numerous parallel efforts, and many committees involved. Approximately $12 billion was spent to develop the program, and along the way compromise was necessary to maintain funding controlled by politicians with an agenda.
Do you wonder what type of compromise and why? What type of agenda? Were there politicians who wanted their favorite restaurants included or a special language or did they want it named for their district or state? Did they want a "free" GPS for their car? Most people surveyed had no idea what type of agenda the politicians would have had.. Do you know? Do you have a theory? If you do, let me know.
My GPS is wonderful and I am in deep gratitude to those brilliant men,women and politicians who have made it available. A feature I especially love is the "recalculating" feature. Perhaps that was an agenda item. For those without a GPS, recalculating is what the non-judgmental voice says when you miss a turn or turn in the opposite direction of where you were directed to turn. I wish I could have have had that voice in my head, in that particular undramatic tone throughout my life. For example when I discovered my husband (now ex) was "involved" with a friend, I could have said, "Recalculating." I could have said that word when I discovered where my teenagers really were, or when I found myself once again in a job I thought I wanted and really hated. Recalculating, said in a very non-dramatic, unjudgmental almost soothing way. Just get back on the path and continue in the correct direction. No need to sit on the side of the road and weep and scream and downgrade others, just, "Recalculating." That GPS, she is a very centered being.
I had the thought that perhaps God may be like my GPS. He/She sees where I am to go, gives me the directions to get there and then, I take a wrong turn. God does not leave or call me names. Just, "Recalculating." Somehow or somewhere I get back on the path that is my life and then there I go again, turning left not right, thinking I know the way or thinking maybe I am at my destination. I think if I were God (or a GPS) I might say, "Are you stupid!? I have given you this direction a dozen different ways and times and I am done, done, done with recalculating for you!" I would say that. Not God, not my GPS. They just stay right there with me, patiently saying, "Recalculating" and waiting for me to catch on. Is it weird to aspire to be like a GPS?
Action Taken: Listen and follow directions:)
To get a GPS go to a store or get great friends like Father Mike and Mary Ann. They will give you one.

40 in 40 Day #18

2010-09-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Day #18 Day # 18 in the 40 in 40 line up was September 11th. As you know I was with Victoria Caras. Peter Schroeder, a man who makes a difference daily and a partner in What One Man Can Do wrote the following and posted it to our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=326600162453&ref=ts. I could not have written anything more succinct.
9.11 reminds me that we can do astounding things. We can make such differences that life on this planet, as we know it, is never the same. And just as crucial, we can make a change in our relationship, family, community or city that has a profound impact on all it touches. Remember, each action we take, each word we say, has consequences, and lasting ramifications - a long shelf-life. And it is always OUR CHOICE! Today of all days, take a good look at what one man can do - in the name of creation or the name of destruction. Just as a child can build a house with Legos, a child can knock it down. Just as an adult can adopt a child, raise a child and love a child, an adult can abuse a child, and scar a child. This 9.11, you are invited to choose to create, choose to love. Please don't choose to destroy or abuse. And almost as bad, please don't choose to do nothing. Instead, make this a beautiful day for yourself and someone else.

Action Taken: Choice. What do you choose?
You can respond to this or post your own thoughts here or on our facebook page;
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=326600162453&ref=ts

40 in 40 Day #17

2010-09-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Day #17 Wow! I just spent time with an amazing woman. Victoria Caras is a woman who is my hero. She fights for people who have medical bills they can not decipher, and the insurance companies are not paying. Victoria fights for the "little guy" in a world overrun with papers and sub-headings and part A and Part B and loopholes. Ms. Caras fights for those of us who are intimidated when we see the return address on an envelope stating it is from a hospital or an insurance agency. Victoria is my hero.
Victoria is the reason I have not written in several days. I met Victoria in Aspen, Colorado last year. My good friend and partner in What One Man Can Do, Donna Lipman, was in Aspen receiving the John Denver Spirit award in her husband's name. My husband and I were there to support Donna. Her husband, Terry Lipman, had been a dear friend who had died suddenly in 2009, and we we also wanted to honor his accomplishment. It was a great weekend and I met several people who are making a difference in the world.
One of them was Victoria Caras. We quickly connected and have spent time emailing, phoning and I spent a day with her in Denver after a seminar and she came to Chicago this weekend to spend time here.
Victoria Caras has lived in New York and San Francisco. She graduated from Columbia with a law degree and has always been involved in helping those less fortunate. As I spoke with her to get a sense of when she felt called to give back, to contribute, she was very matter of fact. (Victoria is a very matter of fact type of woman.) "It is the right thing to do. You give back; it is what you are to do." This was her answer when I asked what has propelled her all these years. As a freshman in high school, Victoria organized a group of teens that helped younger children. It was called T.A.S.K. - Teen Agers Serving Kids. When I asked her why she did this, she shrugged her shoulders and said,"It's what you do." No, it is not what one does, at least not always.
There was a reason that Victoria began Aspen Medical Billing Advocates. Within a very short amount of time, Victoria Caras' world came crashing down. Her ex canceled her insurance, she discovered she had cancer, and she had a major skiing accident. The bills were astronomical. One thing you notice about Victoria within the first five minutes of meeting her is her resolve. She made the decision to not allow these major setbacks to stop her. She made calls, she wrote letters, she did Google search after Google search to find less expensive alternatives that would be effective. She researched prescription drugs and the various costs. She triumphed.
She not only healed, but her path became crystallized. If she could do this for herself, she could do this for others. Victoria Caras is not intimidated when she sees the return address on the envelope is from a hospital or insurance agency.
She is saving lives. One of her clients, after developing cancer, wanted the very best treatment and a particular hospital was chosen. Unfortunately, this particular hospital (the very best for his type of cancer) did not take his insurance. Enter Ms. Caras. She negotiated a very win/win solution and the man is alive today and his hospital bill is paid. Aspen Medical Billing Advocates are truly advocates. Victoria Caras is truly a woman who makes a difference.
Action she took: Victoria sees giving as what everyone is to do. She does not see it as heroic or amazing or dramatic. She sees it as an "Of course!"
You can reach my hero at Info@AspenBillingAdvocates.com

40 in 40 Day #16

2010-09-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Day #16 As a child I loved watching "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriot". Sara Buckner (O'Meara) and Yvonne Lime (Fedderson) were two young girls that would play the girlfriends of Ricky and David from time to time. They thought their life path was to one of acting, awards, parties and perhaps a movie they could star in. Life had another plan.
In 1959 they went to Japan on a goodwill mission for the United States. As they were walking the streets of Tokyo the young women came across eleven orphaned children living on the streets. The children were half Japanese and half American. Sara and Yvonne did not give the children money or take them to a local diner, they took all eleven children back to their hotel room, cleaned them up, fed them and got ready to take the small group to an orphanage in the morning. Life had just stepped in to show Buckner and Lime what their true life path was to become. The children were turned away from all orphanages due to their mixed race. Now what?
A woman in Japan, Kin Horvehig, would take all eleven children into her one room hut if the young women would promise to send money to care for the orphans. An agreement was reached. Word spread quickly and 100 mixed race children were dropped at the hut, all needing care. An awesome task for a seasoned veteran of non for profit but Sara and Yvonne knew nothing about orphanages, fund raising or regulations. They still said yes. Their hearts would only allow them to jump in and help. International Orphans Inc. was soon founded and eventually four orphanages were built.
In 1969 the US government again called upon the two women to help set up orphanages in Vietnam to care for the many children abandoned from the union of Americans and Vietnamese. Once it was time to pull out of Vietnam (1975)Sara and Yvonne organized and helped arrange Operation Baby Lift bringing a thousand babies back to the U.S. ready to be received by parents eager to adopt the children. An awesome accomplishment benefiting generations, but the path that life had laid out for the big hearted women was still not at an end.
A part of the fund raising that Sara and Yvonne did involved a great deal of speaking to large groups. After a speech they gave about The International Orphans, Inc. Nancy Reagan approached the pair. Mrs. Reagan asked Sara and Yvonne to turn their attention (and passions) towards the nations best kept secret, child abuse. Child abuse was the leading cause of death in young children (it continues to be the leading cause of death for young children). The two women immediately took up this important cause and in 1976 The International Orphans, Inc. name was officially changed to Children's Village USA. Today the organization is better known as Child Help.
Child Help became the life long mission for Sara and Yvonne who are still active in heading this wide reaching charity. They were able to produce the first film ("A Time to Love") that showed the damages and secrecy of child abuse. In 1982, they created a nation wide help line, 1.800.4.A. CHILD where suspected abuse could be reported anonymously and help given to those on the verge of harming a child. The line is manned 24/7. This charity utilizes 91 cents of every dollar collected, very little is used for overhead. Today Child Help has the hot line, residential treatment facilities, and advocacy centers throughout the U.S.
The two young women, who thought they would become actresses, have been nominated for The Nobel Prize in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Life had a different path for these ladies and luckily they took the path less traveled.
Their Action: They saw a need and acted immediately. They acted from their heart and then used their head. They did what it took to help.
For more information on this dynamic duo and to see what you could do to help or to gain additional information on child abuse please go to www.childhelp.org and when you get a chance hug your boy or girl.

Many Thanks!

2010-09-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

I believe that gratitude is the doorway to joy. Lots of joy when I see seven (7 !! Hooray!) followers.
Lots of gratitude.
My goal is 200 by the end of Sept (of this year). Please help me, help us get there.

40 in 40 Day #15

2010-09-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

Day #15 If you ask Randy Boles when he became interested in spiritual issues he would tell you it was late in life. If you listen to Randy Boles speak about his life you know in your soul that Randy was born a seeker of spirit, of truth. He questioned, at an early age, his families beliefs and began to forge his own. He read and declared himself a sort of agnostic. The saying is that no one is an atheist in a fox hole and for Randy his fox hole was when his wife was diagnosed with cancer.
"I prayed, not knowing if anyone or anything was there. It was a bargain prayer about doing something for this God if my wife lived." 'She lived and I promptly forgot my promise, at least consciously." Mr. Boles was to go on exploring spiritual issues, Reiki, Neal Donald Walch's books. energy work, always being pulled closer to his own spirit. His spirit seemed to remember the promise.
In 1999 his wife died (not of cancer) and Randy found himself supported by a community he had become a part of. He began to share his beliefs and ideas with a young woman, Lissa. The two grew close and again he listened to his inner guidance telling him to marry.
Randy continued to grow in faith and continued (now with Lissa) to explore who he was and how he could contribute. What was his gift, his piece to give? His listening grew stronger and it led him to sell a home in Toronto and move to a small vacation paradise, Goderich in Canada facing the water, the big water. The Universe lined events up and all Randy needed was to follow the steps. He listened. A radio show, podcast, articles, teleclasses came forth in this place of quiet and creativity. He listened a little deeper, shared his insights with those lucky enough to hear and he began a book. During this time he heard the calling to formalize what he had become. He is now Reverend Randy Boles and still he listens. As I spoke with him to write this blog, he shared with me. He is hearing a call to become a monk. He is a man of deep holiness and all who he touches are quieted and find an inner peace. A man of God. A monk.
You can reach him at randy@thedawnzone.com The name refers to that time between sleep and awakening when we are able to truly hear who and what we are. The Dawn Zone.
His Action: He listens to an inner voice to gain his direction giving him an integrity of walking his talk. He is open to guidance.
Reverend Randy Boles, EFT practitioner, coach, healer, motivator, a man who is quietly, peacefully changing the world for the better.

40 in 40 Day #14

2010-09-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Day #14 When you think of making a difference, changing the world, or contributing, do you think of fun or do you envision long hard days of sacrificial work? Deepak Chopra was asked by the Dali Lama to explore, in a scientific way, what made people happy. Was it shopping, winning the lottery, loosing weight, getting a raise, falling in love, what made people happy? Doing things for the self made people happy but doing for others made them more happy. Apparently it is not only more blessed to give then to receive, it is also, more joyful to give than to receive.
Active 20-30 International and it's members know that it just plain fun to contribute. The history of the club goes back to 1922 when two young men had the same idea to begin a service organization for young men. The clubs were virtually identical but it was not until 1959 that they merged and formed one organization. Eventually women were involved in the clubs and today Active 20-30 Clubs are an International Charitable Organization.
The mission is simple, yet profound: Active 20-30 US & Canada provides young adults with an opportunity for personal growth, friendships and leadership development while improving the quality of life for the special needs children in their community.

"One never stands so tall as when kneeling to help a child"
Clubs meet on a regular basis, hold fund (and fun) raisers, Operation Happy Kid, Teddies for Tragedy, days to play with children, and shop with children are only a few of the ongoing events of this extremely involved group of 20-39 year old men and women. Individuals may be married or single. Those looking for a great way to socialize with socially responsible beings may contact the club http://www.active20-30.com/
This is a no brainer way to become a person who is involved and at the same time having more fun than ever before. Put the remote down and go play!
Action Taken: Two young men heard the same message from the Universe and acted on it. Today they are merged, bigger and stronger than ever.
Warning! Do not join this club if you are looking for a quiet group of mild mannered men and women who do not take risks. The groups are filled with laughter, adventure and long term friendships.

We Have Followers!

2010-09-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Is it pathetic to get excited, I mean really excited, when I see that we doubled our followers overnight? It makes no difference that last night we had 2 and today we have 4, they bottom line is.. we have 4. Only 196 more to reach my goal of 200 by the end of Sept.
Hooray! Welcome followers!!

40 in 40 Day #13

2010-09-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

Day #13. Adam Heller and Tamara Leider met on a cruise in 2003. They recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary. A second marriage for both of them, they each came to the marriage with children. Tamara has a beautiful daughter who is doing amazing things half way around the world and Adam has a great son who celebrated his bar mitzvah this year. Adam and Tamara have chosen to have no more children, at least not biological children. They have hundreds of other children they claim yet did not give birth to them.
Adam was raised by parents who were involved in their Temple, volunteered time, treasure and talent to others and became the role models for their children. Tamara was raised by a kind and giving father who traveled continually for work and she grew up living with various relatives until her father returned. The ethic to give back, to give to others, care for others, honor others was instilled at an early age. Tamara and Adam, though brought up worlds apart had very similar values and both shared a burning desire to make a difference. They have made a difference and continue to make a difference, changing the world for the better daily.
Prior to their wedding they both became interested in an orphanage in Mexico (Ebenezer). The facility was floundering and Adam stepped in, along with Tamara, to get the place functioning again. In Mexico, street children are plentiful. Those left on the street will either die or grow up to become prostitutes, petty thieves or worse. When these children are taken off of the street, placed in an orphanage such as Ebenezer, they now have a middle class existence to look forward to. They become educated, are taught the computer (one expense that Heller and Leider pushed) and not only do the lives of the children change but the lives for border guards change. If a person has a way to make a living, put food on the table for their family, they typically will pay taxes and follow the laws. This is what an orphanage provides.
Adam and Tamara began fund raising, they took groups of people to Ebenezer, purchased toilets, paper, computers, beds. They held babies, tried to speak Spanish to toddlers and changed diapers. They did what they saw was needed. Tamara ran a preschool when she lived in Toronto and was able to set up models assuring children began on the right foot. Nutrition and hygiene, the list is endless of all they worked on as they got Ebenezer up and running again. They then helped open a second facility. Heller and Leider then turned the running of both centers over to a third party and looked for where else they could give.
During this time Adam was active in Hospice and Tamara returned to school to get her US certification in early childhood education to pursue her dream of a school for children she could open in Laguna Beach where she now lived. They were busy (and did I mention they also are both life coaches and continued seeing clients) as they watched for other opportunities to make a difference.
Adam was active in The Rotary Club when he heard about a program Rotary supported, Rotoplast (http://www.rotaplast.org/ Rotoplast provides free reconstructive surgery to children, presently in South America. Rotoplast was going to Venezuela and they were looking for volunteers. Adam stepped forward and then convinced Tamara this was the next project. They flew to Venezuela for two weeks and worked every day of the two weeks assisting this noble cause.Adam was in the recovery room soothing the 134 children that came through the operating room and also acting as a sort of liaison with the families anxiously awaiting news.
Tamara had the demanding job of entertaining and preparing the children for major life altering surgery. The couple did not have luxury, they barely had necessities. What they did have was the knowledge they were making a difference.
For many people this would be enough; they gave, they helped, they made a difference. For Adam Heller and Tamara Leider giving is what they do, it is not an option, it is a way of life and they see it as "normal". To stop giving would be much like not breathing. When do you have enough air to breathe? When do you breathe enough?
Tamara is currently working on her website as she prepares her school (tamara@coachheller.com) She coaches individuals and is a woman of deep integrity and passion. Adam has a book he just finished on how to be pain free. He is having remarkable results with his work in the area of pain reversal(adam@rapidlifechange.com) Please email them for what Paul Harvey would call "The rest of the story."
Their Action: Giving is a part of their value system. They do not know how to not give.
They are a remarkable couple making a remarkable difference raising children who are also remarkable. Remarkable.

40 in 40 Day #12

2010-09-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

Day #12 As I write this blog I am continually touched by the depth of human compassion, creativity and perseverance. What human beings can do to love, to dream, to change their world and the world of others is unending and rarely makes the nightly news. My friend, Daphna Michaelson (Day #7) has put a moratorium on watching news programs as she believes they give a distorted slant to the condition of our world, especially the United States. Her belief that human beings are good and are doing good was one aspect that spurred her 50 in 52 Journey. The more I write and investigate, the more I am filled with good will and hope.
Consider the neighborhood in Central Phoenix. It is an historic area of downtown Phoenix that young professionals and young marrieds have rehabbed, cleaned up and made their own. Small bungalows with well kept lawns and neatly trimmed foliage abound. On Almeria Street, the brightly painted homes, green lawns, and desert wildflowers were interrupted by a home that had seen better days and a lawn that needed cutting. The man who lived in this home was not a young professional, his family grown and gone. This gentleman was from the generation that Tom Brokaw coined the "Greatest Generation," the group of men and women growing up during the Great Depression, who fought in World War II and kept a strong home front.
A request to not name names leads me to call our elderly gentleman Mr. Smith. It was quickly apparent to the folks living near Mr. Smith that he was struggling with lawn care and at times he would be outside, in his bathrobe, sitting on a chair. The young men and women living in this particular area banned together and began to cut Mr. Smith's lawn. They then began to trim the trees and someone planted flowers. They began to say hello and listen to his tales from the war he fought so long ago. Young and old, friends. No need for social services as the neighborhood cooked an extra dish or two, when they cooked. Cookies wrapped with love made their way into his home and the men in the neighborhood did repairs. Mr. Smith was loved.
Was this reported on the nightly news or written about in the Phoenix Gazette? These were acts that showed the wonder, the grandeur of the human spirit and not the ugliness that surrounds the unending litany of horrible that screams from newsstands, radios, televisions and now the homepage on my computer.
What the neighborhood did is easily duplicated. In another neighborhood close to Almeria, other neighbors came together to cut lawns, check security and water flowers as a home went into foreclosure. Those downtown Central Phoenix people are pretty nice. What could your neighborhood do?
Action Taken: Simple acts of kindness done on a regular basis.
Mr. Smith no longer lives on Almeria Street. His home was rehabbed during the real estate boom in Phoenix. It's a great neighborhood to live in.

40 in 40 Day #11

2010-09-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Day # 11 Today I am honoring a huge group in the United States and around the world. This is a group of individuals who may or may not know each other, a group that is all volunteer and probably untrained, a group that is uncelebrated and sometimes condemned. What is is this group? Who are these 44 million (yup, I wrote million) people who are in every town, every village, every city and every state in the U.S. The number is even larger if you were to count those volunteers in every country in the world.
Who is this group of dedicated individuals? They are Caregivers. The word says it all, they give care. They give care to sisters, brothers, friends, children, spouses, parents and sometimes to all of them at the same time.
They are the women you see holding the hand of an elderly woman in the grocery store, the 60 year old man who is helping a white haired man out of the car when you go to the doctor's office. They are the man and woman who are hushing the six foot boy with the wide smile who talks too loud at the local Starbucks on Sunday morning. They are the young mothers driving their daughters to dance class and their brother or sister to chemo. They are human beings who have put their lives on the back burner until Mom "passes on" or Auntie Nan is ready to go back to work. This volunteer position can take hours, days, weeks, months and very often years, sometimes decades. No benefits, no retirement, no Labor Day or 4th of July to do as they please. Their payment is sometimes an argument and blame at the end of a very long week or family members telling what they should or should not do. Sometimes, if they are lucky they get a beautiful toothless grin or sloppy hug around the neck. These are the fortunate caregivers.
There are also ancient caregivers. They have taken the man or woman they lay next to for 40 years, 50, maybe 60 years and put that person in a place of safety where nurses can administer the medication, paid caregivers change diapers, and various individuals sing songs, play games and then record it all in a binder with the beloved's name. The one on the "outside" is now alone. They rise at the same time every day, a new routine to follow, one that involves traveling to see their spouse, their beloved. Typically that person "on the inside" will cry to go home but home may now mean a place they lived when they were a child. The insider may or may not remember who their partner is as they sit at a table in a cafeteria in a cacophony of noise and confusion. The ancient caregivers do not like to go but they do it anyway. They do this every day and they return home, make a meal for one and sleep on their side of the bed.
In the United States there are 44 million of these people. If you asked them what is their dream, what is their passion it may not be the volunteer position they have accepted. If you were to ask them what success means to them they may not say, "Loving and caring for my father, mother, daughter/son, sibling or friend until they no longer are in need." They may not see their life as important or that they are changing the world. Would you let them know, please?
Their Action: Selflessness. Pure and simple selfless love.
November is National Family Caregivers Month http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/ This day has only recently been put in as a month of honoring the good that is done daily. President Bush signed the month into being in 2006. Please, put it on your calendar and send a card.

40 in 40 Day #10

2010-09-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

Day #10 Severn Suzuki spoke before to the UN in 1992 as the spokesperson for a group of 12 and 13 year olds concerned with the environment and the way the world was being run at that time. Her words still ring true. You may go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWxjzazIPjU and listen to this well spoken young women plead with adults running the world to think of the children, to think of the planet.
Her story does not end there. Ms.Cullis-Suzuki (she is now married and 31 years of age) continues on with her passion to save the environment. With a B.S,in ecology from Yale she started a think tank called The Skyfish Project which brought their first project the World Summit on Sustainability.
Severn's passion did not dry up but rather has continued to grow as she returned to graduate school to study enthnobotany.
This young woman, who wrote a book called "Tell The World" at the age of 13 is an individual who found her dream, her contribution early in life and continues to take action.
Her Action: She has the gift of inspiration. Do yourself a favor and watch her many videos, read her book. Join her cause.

40 in 40 Day #9

2010-09-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Day #9 This is day #9 of writing a blog I am uncertain anyone is reading. We have one follower after nine days and I admit I had the thought tonight, "Will anyone even notice if I write this blog?" It has been a long day with little sleep last night. My small furry Valentino got a bone yesterday (from a friend). My gut knew not to let him have it but my friend loves Tino almost as much as I do and Valentino was doing his happy dance to woo the bone a bit closer. He got the bone and I got a sick dog all night. He is fine tonight. I am grumpy and wondering if anyone will even read this, much less respond.
What One Man Can Do is all about doing it anyway, regardless of the prize. Find the dream, nurture the dream, know the dream will elevate you and those around you. Act on the dream. Keep your commitments. Have support, That is WOMCD in action. If no human being ever reads this it is my commitment. I am showing up.
I am showing up. Happy Matthews shows up. She shows up when a person needs a ride to the store, or court. She shows up when a young mother needs a person to take a child to the park. She shows up, dollars in her hand, when a neighbor is is missing the money to but a prescription or milk. Happy Matthews shows up.
Agnes Mathews got the nickname as a small child growing up in Minnesota. The youngest of a very large family there was little time or money left over when Agnes made an appearance. Her life has been the stuff of Lifetime movie of the week. Abuse, alcohol, survival, drugs and tragedy has followed Ms. Mathews most of her life. She showed up and asked how she could help. Street people know her name and know she is always good for a dollar or two, the gang kids know her and trust that she will give them a ride, a sandwich or drive them to the probation appointment. Happy Mathews is changing her world. She has not written a book. She has not started a non for profit, she has not been a surrogate mother or taken her 401K and gone ins search of hope for our country. Ms. Happy Mathews is the woman in the neighborhood who saves people from despair. She shows up offers a smile, a cigarette, a joke. She looks the invisible homeless in the eye and asks them who they are. She knows their names. She mourns their deaths. She is a hero.
Her Action: She lives from her heart and knows that but for the grace of God she could be the one in need. She shows up and asks, "How can I serve you?"
Happy has no web site, no email. You can send her emails to anne@womcd.com

40 in 40 Day #8

2010-08-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

Day # 8 For those of you (especially you , Peter Schroeder) who notice such things, you will see that I have two entries on the same day, despite calling them Day 7 and Day 8. Today, August 31, 2010 is Day #8. Yesterday, the real Day #7 I fell asleep before I wrote and woke up at 4:20 a.m. on Day #8 thinking, "Oh no! I did not blog last night!" It was a fear I had when I took this challenge of writing daily for 40 days. What if I forgot a day, what if my computer would not function, what if I could not find anyone to write about, etc. A lot of what ifs and now "it" has happened and here I am telling the world (at least I hope the world will one day read this) that by day seven I screwed up. I promise you, there will be 40 entries. I am finding individuals, animals, cities and more that are making a difference and I am loving the positive way I feel after I write about them.
Kristie Rimmele was part of Corporate America when she found herself going into labour with her second child after only 25 weeks of pregnancy. Not good. She was immediately put on bed rest to delay that little boy from being born too soon. During the 10 weeks that Kristie had in bed she made God a promise, "Let the baby be born, let him live and Kristie would help people."
As a child growing up in rural America, Kristie knew she would grow up and make something of her life. She knew deep down that she would do something big. That knowing got buried in Corporate America but resurfaced during a very trying time.
The baby was born. Healthy and weighing in at an impressive 5 pounds, 14 ounces Kristie had managed to get to 35 weeks before her baby boy demanded to be seen. Home the new mom went, Kristie had quit her job and was now going to be a mom at home. Never one to hang out and watch daytime TV, Kristie taught herself HTML (the language to build web sites) and created a web site based on her rich genealogy. A sister-in-law seeing the site asked Ms. Rimmele to build a site for her. This was back in 1998 when few people were web designers and word spread quickly. Kristie found herself working at home building web sites.Deciding this would be a great way to be a stay at home mom with an income, Kristie used her experience as a Director of Marketing to promote herself and her business. Eventually the Gurnee Sun did a seven page spread on Kristie Rimmele and moms began to call and write. "How did she do it? How did she set up a business at home? How could they do it?" Then Kristie said she heard God say, "You should write a book." A woman of her word, Kristie remembered her promise from when she was trying to save her baby and she began the long work of writing a book for moms who wanted to work at home."I LOVE MY LIFE: A Mom's Guide to Working from Home" (By Kristie Tamsevicius) was born.
Now there was a book for moms but was that enough? Kriste thought of how many moms still had questions and she started (along with Michelle Floyd) www.webmomz.com
The list of what this amazing woman has done and continues to do is inspiring and makes me wish there had been a Kristie Rimmele around when I was a stay at home mom wishing to stay that way as I also started a business.
Her Action: She made a decision to follow her heart and live on purpose. She had a heartfelt desire to make a difference from the time she was a child and she took steps to make the dream a reality.
Kristie may be reached at: http://www.kristiet.com/

40 in 40 Day #7

2010-08-31T04:08:00.000-07:00

Day #7 Dafna Michaelson was 14 years old when she made the decision to not complain unless she was willing to take the action to change what she complained about. I would call that, "Shut up or put up."
It was no accident when Ms. Michaelson focused her career in the area of non-profits. She began to change her world and luckily our world. Her life may have continued along this path except for a chance question we are all asked, "What would you do if you won the lottery?" How many times have you been asked that question or asked the question of yourself? Boats, travel, college funds and more are the typical answers. Dafna Michaelson is not typical, nor was her answer. She told her boyfriend (now fiance) that she would go from state to state, interview the mayors of small towns and big cities and find out what positive action was being taking to improve the world.
This spontaneous answer opened the dream. What if this divorced mother did actually travel to all 50 states collect stories of renewal, growth, and then somehow publish these stories. Dafna also realized she wanted to meet the people who were solving problems, not talk to politicians and policy makers. "The 50 in 52 Journey" was launched. This young mother would trek across all 50 states in 52 weeks while still caring for her child. She would bring back stories to combat the nightly news of doom and gloom. She would make her dream a reality and all would win.
When fund raising and grants brought a trickle of cash to support this magnificent dream, Dafna Michaelson cashed in a small 401K to fund her endeavor. She set out to find the America she believed still existed, an America of individuals who solve problems, not create them. Dafna Michaelson found them, over 300 of them, and she recorded their stories for all to see and hear. You can view these stories, read more about the vision Ms. Michaelson holds and see her most current projects at http://www.50in52journey.com/
Dafna Michaelson is a young woman with a huge vision. Her heart was ignited by the simple question, "What would you do if you won the lottery?" Her dream became a reality when the dream became a must, with or without the lottery. What is your dream?
Action Taken: Dafna Michaelson acted. She made a plan, did research. She took a dream and made a reality. She asked the question, "If not me, then who?" http://www.50in52journey.com/

Send us your stories!

2010-08-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

We are extremely dedicated to spread the word that there are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And I bet you know several, at least. If you would, please tell us about someone you know (maybe you!) who has observed something taking place that "has to stop," or not taking place that "has to change." Either way, that person took action to make sure the past would not continue as is.
These are exactly the stories we are looking to publish, and exactly the people we want to acknowledge. We seldom hear about them in the media, so who better to broadcast their accomplishments than WOMCD. Send them to anne@womcd.com
Please format your stories as follows:
1) Introduce the person (brief background as to how it prompts their action)
2) The situation they observed
3) The action they took
4) The effects of their action (the change they created).

40 in 40 Day #6

2010-08-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Day #6 What One Man Can Do is change the world and make it new again. Words to the song that have inspired this movement and words that some people take to heart and act on.
Day # 6 is August 29, 2010. It is the anniversary of the storm that drowned a city. Katrina hit New Orleans five years ago today, the levies gave way and 1,800 people lost their lives. If you are over the age of ten you have seen the news coverage of people waiting for help that did not come, you have seen the homes that were destroyed and five years later still stand vacant. This could be a story of blame and ineptitude and victims, it could be ,but it is not.
The people of New Orleans made it their business to build back their homes, their city, their lives. Media stars and movie stars volunteered money, time, materials to assure that change would be good. Habit for Humanity took on the daunting challenge to build five homes in five days for the fifth anniversary. They succeeded. They had help. Volunteers from far and near hammered nails, held beams, put down floors to assure the city that drowned would be resuscitated.
This could be a story of doom, gloom, despair and flagrant buck passing. It could be, but I see it as a story of what people can do when they take action, on their own, and create change for the better.
Kudos to The City of New Orleans! Kudos for showing the world what can be done without the almighty hand of government.
Action Taken: The city saw and accepted what had happened. They accepted that if a city was to be born again it would be up to the individuals to birth it.
Happy Anniversary, New Orleans! You inspire us.

40 in 40 Day #5

2010-08-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Day #5 Every man, woman, and child is worthwhile, each has a unique contribution to make to the world and all that is in it. We have each been given free will to decide if we will contribute. What about animals? Do animals contribute beyond what is expected? I asked this question and got an amazing answer. It seems as if animals have the ability to reach out and actually contribute to what the world would call their enemy.
Lily, a Labrador mix at The Burlington, Iowa Humane Society is only one of many stories concerning animals that reach beyond what we might call their comfort zone and actually make the world better for another. Lily was pregnant when the Humane Center found her. She quickly gave birth to six adorable puppies all of whom were adopted. As the Center waited for a kind person to adopt Lily four newborn kittens were brought into the Center. Their eyes were barely open and the staff was in quandary of how to be certain the little balls of fluff were all fed round the clock to assure their survival. A quick witted staff member thought of Lily and gingerly the experiment began. Would a 60 plus pound black Lab mix eat the small kittens? Would she shake the life out of them? Or would she somehow know the need of a species not even her own and guarantee their survival? Lily became the mother the kittens needed, not only urging them to nurse but cleaning them and assuring their safety. As I watched this tender video, I was struck by the thought that dogs have the ability to contribute and when presented with a need they do not see differences, only solutions. Evolutionists claim that man is the pinnacle in the chain at this juncture in history. My question, what will it take for humans to act like dogs?
Her Action: Lily saw need, not difference, and she took action to fill the need.
Check out the video on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rodq5oGsnoI

40 in 40 Day #4

2010-08-27T22:23:00.000-07:00

Day #4 Scott Silverman was a kid in trouble who grew to be a man in trouble. Learning disabilities left undiagnosed and mismanaged led to shame, shame led to relief through alcohol and drugs. It is a common story. What makes Scott unique?
Reaching the end of the line on a window ledge in New York City, Mr. Silverman had the thought of how easy it would be to simply fall backwards and end what had become an escalating, destructive addiction. A colleague entering the office and seeing Silverman leaning backwards to certain death cried out and Scott made a decision. He chose life. He chose life and became an advocate for the downtrodden and overlooked in our society. Mr. Silverman, who was raised in a loving upper middle class family, began talking to the homeless in San Diego. He volunteered to serve meals and began to ask why the men he saw on a regular basis were not working. Excuses of poor work history, ex-felons, recovering drug addicts were heard by Scott and he quickly dismissed them as excuses. He promised men that if they did what he told them, he could get them jobs. They did and he did. This decision to help grew and today Scott Silverman runs the organization he founded over twenty years ago, Second Chance. He had no knowledge of what a non for profit was or how to start one. He had no idea of where he would get the money needed to house men and then women, fresh from prison. He had no idea and yet he took action. His background was in retail clothing. He had no idea that one day there would be a Scott Silverman Day in San Diego in his honor, he just saw a need and he acted. His action has taken what was once a couple of homeless men into a multi million dollar agency that he still runs. He graduates men and women from a job readiness program that is run like a compassionate boot camp. People who have never been treated with dignity are treated with respect and expected to dress and act professionally from day one forward. Stop by, take a look at the wall of the thousands of men and women who now have jobs, renewed families and have not returned to prison. Many of these graduates are making a difference in their families, their communities, the world, as a result of one man who saw a need and took action.
His Action: Scott called upon his tenacity and belief in the potential of human beings. His book, "Tell Me No. I Dare You!" goes into detail on the hows to get to yes.
Scott Silverman, a man who not only has made a difference he has assured the difference will continue through Second Chance, far into the future.Scott Silverman [ssilverman@secondchanceprogram.org]

40 in 40 Day #3

2010-08-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

Day #3 Molly Mackin was born with a heart wide open for the underdog. As a child she would cry at the thought of bug spray. Bugs that made it past the front door had to be carried back outside, small birds must be put in a safe place away from the family cat and when her sister cried at the thought of picking up toys, Molly helped or did the job herself. As Molly Mackin grew, her heart for those who suffer grew. Her mother would come home to find a teenager having a tough time at home hidden in Molly's room or Molly's clothes that grandparents had sent being worn by those who had no grandparents. For Molly, when she saw an other's pain it became her pain. She had to act.
Molly went on to befriend the ones her parents told her to leave alone. She spent her time with kids who would become the cutters, drop outs and runaways. To parent such a child as Molly a person needed the ability to see far into the future to know that Molly was on the path she (or a Higher Power) had chosen. Do any of you perhaps have such a child? Try your utmost to not shut down their light or block their path. These are the children who will one day grow to be the ones who will save our world. With a child who has a heart for those who are filled with pain, get them involved in helping, in healing early in life. They are what the beatitudes refer to as the peace makers. They bring peace and healing to the world. Help them , shape them, protect them. They will do their work with or without you. Join them.
Molly Mackin went on to marry her college professor, bringing his two young children in to raise as she was raising her own two children, giving this young woman four children to raise when Molly was under the age of thirty. If Molly fought for insects, birds and troubled friends it was nothing compared to how she would fight for children. Her children and any that crossed her path. Her heart grew.
The day came when Molly met a woman who yearned for children yet was unable to carry these children to term. Miscarriage after miscarriage, adoptions that went south days before the baby was to be born, and finally a treacherous person masquerading as a pregnant donor for the childless couple.This yearning for children had created the type of person Molly's heart wanted to heal, to help. The woman and Molly became friends in a Bible study group and eventually the woman asked Molly what her thoughts were on surrogacy and shared with Ms. Mackin her desire to find a surrogate that could carry the child that would be created by the woman and her husband.This tiny cell would then placed in the womb of a person willing to carry this baby, care for this baby and then give the baby back to the woman and her husband at the end of nine months. Would Molly do that for them? Their was no question, at least not for a heart born to heal and comfort. This was a gift. No thousands of dollars changed hands, no special arrangements to get something from this decision to become a surrogate. Only the thought of someone else's pain that could be healed by taking on the overwhelming work of invitro fertilization and that it entailed with nothing at the end of nine months but the knowledge that
this woman now had her twins and her dream of motherhood had come true.
Few if any knew of the agony of daily shots, morning sickness times two, the rules and regulations and restricted travel. Few knew her feelings as Molly handed over twin girls that her hand had patted as they moved deep within. Handed over tiny bodies she had seen grow in the sonograms, tiny bodies that had kicked and heartbeats felt in the middle of sleep. Few knew, most certainly not the parents of the twin lives. They took the babies and went home. They contacted Molly four weeks later and asked if they could now stop the medical insurance they had arranged for her. Few knew. Few knew.
Molly Mackin a woman who makes a difference. A woman who made a difference and asked for nothing in return. Molly Mackin, we stand and salute you and we can not wait to see what will be next.
Her Action: Molly followed the urging of her heart despite the repercussions. Molly acted on her compassion.
Molly Mackin is continuing with her education and will receive her Masters in Counseling in 2011. Molly has asked that any emails be sent to womcd (anne@womcd.com)

Rocky Mountain Hi!

2010-08-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks!

I just returned from a blessed trip to Colorado. I always feel so alive when I'm there - and so cool! I visited with dear friends, hiked, went white water rafting (ok, there wasn't exactly A LOT of white water), laughed and cried. I saw little critters everywhere - rabbits, deer, birds of prey and even prarie dogs - I am always so inspired when I see animals in the natural habitat! I toured the Garden of the Gods (truly a natural wonder) and toured the army "post" at Ft. Collins in Colorado Springs. My friend, Patricia, works as a counselor to our returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. She is doing such important work especially given the nature of the wars our country is involved in. It's devastating to know what our men and women are going through - the things they have seen and experienced are such that no one should have to live through. Patricia informed me that, even in the face of these two wars, the biggest casue of death in the army is suicide. That is an eye-opening fact and it needs our immediate attention. It's a big job and emotionally draining but Patricia is passionate about her work. Now, talk about what one woman can do - she is truly making a difference in the world.

There is one special moment I'd like to share with you. My first "away" date with my husband, Terry, was to a spectacularly beautiful place called Mt. Princeton hot springs. The setting is exquisite and the waters are so very healing. We stayed at a little place just up the road called Love Ranch. It was (and still is) a series of small cabins that had no heat or running water. That meant there was no bathroom - only an outhouse...the kind made of wood with a half moon above the door about 100 yards outside the cabin. Now, I never have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom but, on this night, I had to!!! I couldn't stand it so I put on my coat (it was mid-October and cold in the evenings) and marched out bravely with the flashlight in hand. I found my way just fine and did my business. When I attempted to open the door, I realized that it had latched on the outside and I couldn't get out! Long story short - I was stuck in the outhouse for an hour! Terry, of course, was cozy in bed, sleeping like a baby. I went through every kind of emotion but the bottom line was I was not getting out. I peeked through the wood slats as the sun was rising and caught a glimpse of the only reproducing heard of big horn sheep in Colorado! Inspiring!! Finally, a worker appeared in the field and I yelled out to him. He came over, opened the door and never said a word - only shook his head in disbelief.

Fast forward 20 years later - I ofund myself in Mt. Princeton once again over the weekend. It was a girl's outing and we just wanted to talk and relax in the river. But first, I asked if we could seek out Love Ranch and the infamous outhouse. We asked for directions and finally found it. I saw the outhouse from the road. We parked and we walked up to the outhouse. I brought some of Terry's ashes with me (never thinking I'd be at Love Ranch but rather in Aspen.) We held hands in a circle and I said a prayer through my tears and walked over to sprinkle the ashes next to the outhouse. Now, Terry would have gotten a huge thrill out of this! I never made it to Aspen (next trip) but I am grateful to my friends for loving me enough to support me through this.

My friend, Ronnie, picked me up at the airport today. He said I was different - lighter, happier and even inspired. I decided this weekend that it is time for me to claim my birthright of unconditional love and an abundance of blessings. It's part of my process of grief and loss that I have lived through this past year after losing my sweet Terry. And, I can't wait to see how that manifests in the world!! I think Terry would be happy tickled.
Thanks for being on the journey with me!

With Love and Generous Blessings,

Donna

40 In 40. People Who Make A Difference. Day #2

2010-08-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Day #2 Every man, woman and child matters. You matter. My thought is that what keeps people from stepping forward, the reason 60% of our planet does nothing to change themselves, their families, their world, is that people harbour a deep belief that they do not matter. My dear friend Debbie Ford would call this belief a Shadow Belief.
There was a time that Debbie Ford had a deep belief in her insignificance, she held tight to the thought that she did not matter. Her belief shaped her actions. Self sabotage, addictions, a life spinning out of control with no higher purpose than how high could she get, this was her life. What changed this woman? Debbie Ford is now a leader in the transformational community. Her number one selling books have helped thousands and thousands of individuals world wide. Ms. Ford continues to grow, continues to contribute. Her overwhelming belief in contribution has shaped schools in Africa, brought clothing and supplies to the victims of the San Diego fire, Katrina saw her donating time, money and supplies.Those close to her are urged to find charities, projects, unique and individual ways to contribute to the larger purpose of our planet.
Perhaps Debbie Ford's largest contribution, at this writing, is her body of work that brings normalcy to the Shadows of the individual, the country and our world. It is our human tendency to run from The Shadow, to hide The Shadow, hate and curse and shame The Shadows in our lives. Debbie Ford brings love and light into these dark places and like the proverbial match in a dark room... nothing is ever the same.
Her Action: Debbie had a dawning, a wake up, an epiphany. She literally got on her hands and knees and cried out to God to free her of addictions and to show her what was wanted of her. She asked. A simple and powerful action,ask. Ask, "What am I here for?" "What is my gift and how can I share it."
Debbie Ford, a woman who makes a difference. www.debbieford.com

Keep On Doing!

2010-08-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

The friends that you have, the memories you’ve made!
The places remembered, the music you’ve played!
Is there a location where you would not find
A nugget of gold that you personally mined?

And your song is not over, your story not done!
There is laughter awaiting; there are smiles, hugs and fun.
That sun keeps a-rising to a cock-a-doodle-doo.
The rooster does his job, so you do yours, too.

Keep singing, keep crowing, keep looking ahead;
Keep serving and showing up, just don’t lay in bed.
You’re needed! You matter! Keep open your heart!
Keep finding more nuggets while doing your part!

40, Or More, Contributions In 40 days.

2010-08-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

40 in 40. I have challenged myself to find 40 contributions in 40 days throughout the world. A few of the rules I will follow: the contribution must help more than two people. The contribution must be accomplished by a "regular" (not famous, at least not yet)man woman or child. In addition the contribution must be action based not financially based (ie. the person is actually doing something most of us could do. They are not donating their huge lotery win to a just cause) My final intent is to include all segments of our world, men, women, and children. For this I am requesting your help. Please send me names of individuals who you believe contribute to the greater good. You can post here or email me at anne@womcd.com
Today is Day One:(from Daily Herald August 24, 2010)Child
Kendall Ciesemier was 11 when an idea to donate $360 to sponsor one child in Africa blossomed into a charity that would raise money for thousands of kids affected by AIDS.
Her Action: Her first action, donating $360, was ignited by viewing a special about children in Africa who had lost their parents to AIDS. Kendall states that she has always wanted to reach out to those who are struggling, with her work in Africa she has found her true calling.
Her mother, Ellery Ciesemier, saw the same show as Kendall. Perhaps many of us saw the show and like Ellery, we felt sad, and then turned off the television. "Adults tend to get so overwhelmed with a problem as a whole that they think they can't do anything," Ellery said. "So they do nothing."
A child was needed to do something and that 11 year old child was, Kendall Ciesemier.
Kendall Ciesemier has taken that first contribution of $360 and grown a charity that reaches thousands of children. Kids Caring 4 Kids was granted not-for-profit staus in January of 2005. It has raised more than $830,000 for the various projects it supports.http://www.kidscaring4kids.org/
Ms. Ciesemier has been nominated for Glamour Magazine's Woman of The Year:
Readers Choice Award. To vote for Kendall, visit glamour.com/magazine/2010/08/woman-of-the-year-readers-choice-award-2010-nominee-kendall-ciesemier
Kendall Ciesemier, a child who found where her heart is. Good Luck! http://www.kidscaring4kids.org/

Unearth! Nurture! IGNITE!

2010-08-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just like Ready-Set-Go gets you fired up as you start your race, WOMCD will Unearth your Contribution, Nurture your Spirit, and Ignite your Passion! Are you ready??? Check out our video on You Tube: click here.