Never Give Up on a Child: A Stone Carver's Lesson

Never give up on a child!

"Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before." ~Jacob A. Riis~

Some kids resist the shaping and molding by loving parents, but works of art (like stone carvings) sometimes take longer than other things, and the beauty that results is beyond measure!

Share a Smile: Start at Home...

"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good Morning' at total strangers."

~Maya Angelou~

Making a Difference in Our Own Backyards...

As the weather turns cold in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, my thoughts remain with those who are homeless, as well as those that put hungry children to bed at night...if they are lucky enough to have a bed, that is. Above you will find a different face of homelessness from the one discussed in the last post. I actually stumbled upon this video clip while preparing for a training for teachers and posted it to my facebook page in the past. I found this before I learned of American Girl's homeless doll.

This video is touching on so many levels. I've watched it many times, and each time, I see something new or different than I saw the time before. Families in survival mode. Mothers who must tuck their children into "bed" on the front seat of a car. Kids who do homework at the campground they call "home". Families sharing one bed. Hopelessness, survival, just making it through one more day.

If you view the whole clip, you will find that this video was produced in 1985...nearly 25 years ago. And homeless and poverty has only continued to escalate in our current economic downturn. To view more information and statistics on homelessness and poverty, visit The National Coalition for the Homeless.

What would it take to change this? Could we each forgo: One gourmet coffee, one sports drink post athletic activity, one pack of gum, one donut on the run in the morning, one designer t-shirt or sweatshirt, one lottery ticket...one night out on the town...to change this? While one of us alone could likely not put a very big dent in this social issue, MANY of us could.

According to the National Coaliton for Homelessness, there is much we can do:

C - Contribute (food drives, money, etc.,)

A - Advocate

R - Reach Out (volunteering)

E - Educate

Spin-Doctor Tip: Charity begins at home. Teaching our children compassion, understanding and kindness...then taking that to the next level...activism...CAN and WILL change the world. The Spin-Doctor believes that one small act of kindness has a ripple effect that reaches far and wide. What ideas can your family or your kids come up with? We'd love to know!

I've seen this saying, but I am not sure of the origin. If you know, please tell me, so I can give proper credt:

"Reach out to others...and help YOURSELF!"

Wishing you the inclination to DO something!