Give Tree Gifts Blog

I had a moving experience today that I want to share with you.

I enjoy going for walks, because I find it's a great way to clear my head and achieve a sense of calm and well being. The weather was beautiful today, so I decided to take a walk to recharge my batteries.

While walking to the park, I noticed a gentleman getting into his van. It was only his movement that drew my attention to the van, which was nothing special at first glance. However, as I strolled past, I saw a framed photo of a woman, hanging from the head rest in the passenger seat next to him. Below it was a sign. I couldn't fully read it without going right up to the window and peering in. What I did see read ".......‘s seat". It took a moment for that to sink in, before it dawned on me what I had just seen. Presumably, it was a photo of his late wife and that was, and still is, her seat.

I can't accurately describe the rush of feelings that came over me; but it was a combination of sorrow and compassion, followed by awe and admiration. My eyes still well up just thinking about it. His conviction of faith that her spirit is sitting right beside him, is truly awe inspiring.

I spent the rest of the walk contemplating that, and I found myself feeling uplifted. It occurred to me that, although I'm self motivated, it's people who inspire me. It's Terry Fox running 42 km for 143 days in the Marathon of Hope; it's a 10 year old girl donating hair so another little girl can better cope with the affects of chemotherapy; and it's most certainly the gentleman I saw today.

So here's what it boils down to...

Ordinary people, doing extraordinary things, are our greatest source of inspiration. Inspiration is what fuels our passion and motivates us to act. When we act, we become someone else's inspiration. It's a snowball affect.

Inspiration is always best when it's experienced first hand. Even though you may not find my experience as inspiring as I do, your inspiration is out there and when it hits you, you'll know it. Dwell on it, talk about it, build on it, and let it continue to fuel your passion so that you have the motivation and the momentum to follow through.

Whatever the cause, the driving force behind any fundraiser is the people, because in the end, it's the people who will benefit. We all long to have a healthy, strong community and so we must all make a contribution to that end. Your community will extend beyond your street, your school, your church, your city, and even your country. We're all part of a global community and everyone has something of value to contribute. For some it may be fundraising ideas, whereas others may contribute skills, time, labor, or funding. A program called Habitat for Humanity is a perfect example of that.

I invite you to become part of our community by becoming a registered member and participating in Our Blog. I encourage you to share this blog with others and tell us about your fundraising ideas, successes, challenges, and increase awareness for your cause by submitting a link and/or an article. 

Let's join forces to build a stronger global community.

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