In one week and one day I will be 50!
That’s right – I’m a LOVE child
Half a century is nothing to sneeze at – man the things I have seen!
I remember when videos came out and you could rent them for $0.99 each but you also had to rent the VCR for $7.00!
I remember the first microwaves. They were huge with big dials and sounded like airplanes taking off! They really didn’t cook anything much faster than a conventional stove either.
I remember when seat belts came out. I’m not talking about the law to wear them, I’m talking about them actually building cars that had them. The law came later, before that wearing a seat belt was optional.
I remember that first video game – PONG – that thing with lines that represented rackets and you hit this ball back and forth and every time you advanced to the next level the lines got shorter and the ball went faster!
I remember those boat-sized, gas and oil burning, I-should-get-a-medal-for-knowing-how-to-parallel-park that monster of a car with the arm-strong steering and hold the brake down while your leg 
muscles spasm from the pressure you needed to apply cars.
I remember hand-written notes and getting mail delivered to your house with a stamp on it!
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But I don’t want to talk about that stuff.
Rather, I want to talk about what I’ve learned about people and how we live together on this planet and take responsiblity for each other.
So go get your coffee and get comfortable because I figure a half century has earned me the right to get up on a soap box and tell ya what I think.
Perhaps you don’t know this, but I’m fundraiser.
I think everyone should give. Whether you give time, talent or treasure is not as important as the fact that you give.
I don’t much care what or who you give to, just as long as you do.
If you care about something, if a cause sets you on fire with passion then by all means you should put your money where your mouth is.
There is no, “Gee, I wish someone would do something about that.” Because that someone who could do something about it is YOU.
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Does the fact that some families don’t have enough food irk you? Go donate or volunteer at your local Food Bank!
How about the homeless, how does that sit with you? If you believe everyone should have a home…
wait for it…
donate to an organization that helps the homeless off the streets.
What about diseases? Cancer? Heart Disease? Kidney failure? dementia? MS? Want a cure?
Line yourself up with an organization that is looking for the cure or providing supports to people who are suffering.
Not a fan of charities but want to help people anyway? Budget a certain amount of your income to commit random acts of kindness all year round!
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You can’t solve every issue or every cause – in fact just thinking about all the problems in the world can be overwhelming to the point where you think nothing you do will make a dint.
But You can make a dint.
And if we’re all making dints, the sum of all those dints is huge!
So here comes the challenge. C’mon you must have known I was building up to something, right?
Identify the cause that moves you.
Got it?
And in honour of my birthday donate $50 or whatever you can afford to that cause.
Go ahead it will feel so good, I promise!
If you don’t have money, donate 50 hours of your time.
When you do, would you let me know you’ve done it?
I can’t think of a better Birthday gift than knowing that you have given to your community…
toward something that means a lot to you.
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
You want the world to be a better Place? Easy Peasy.
You’re the Answer
(OK, this is me, getting off my soap box now)
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Diana Schwenk is the Director of Development at Vecova, an organization that exists to ensure that persons with disabilities are valued and integral members of society. If you would like to help us advance our mission by building the capacity of persons with disabilities and enriching communities through leadership, innovation and collaboration, click here to donate.
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