Day 99 of Gratefulness: A Sense of Community

Today I got to walk around and introduce Denver to a couple moving here.  A couple that will be renting my condo for the next 6 months.  I wanted to make them feel fully comfortable and see how close they were to everything.  What I gained from the experience today was a sense of community.  This has been my neighborhood for the last 8.5 years and as much as I am ready for a change I love what this neighborhood is- a community. 

How do you define community and what does it mean to have a sense of community?  I can walk into a few of the local restaurants, coffee shops and even boutique stores and people know who I am and might even know my name.  I can walk down the street and run into someone I know.  I can call a neighbor up and ask if I can park behind them.  I can sit and chat with the homeless that have been regulars on the corner for years.  When tragedy strikes many of us will come out to help, to mourn and look out for one another.  As much as I might not know someone’s name that I see on a regular basis I know that they are a part of the same community.  We collectively create this space, this space that I love so much.  It is incredibly beautiful for all the people who are a part of this community.   I will miss it a lot and it was not an easy decision for me to leave it.  I am confident that I will create a new community wherever I go because that is who I am. 

Day 98 of Gratefulness: Donors

My job is to work with donors, inspire them to give to an organization and help the organization build a lifelong relationship with them.  I am talking about building a friendship, making that donor feel like they are part of the family of the organization and that they are truly making an impact.  Tonight I got to partake in part of the relationship process that I often coach my clients on. The follow-up process – which is just thanking the donor and listening to why they got involved.  Most of the people on my list were not home so I left a lot of voicemails but there were a few people that I talked to and I was so inspired but what they had to say.  When you give someone the opportunity to really tell you why they made the difference there is just pure love coming from them.  I wanted to reach through the phone and hug these people. They were so inspiring and reassured my beliefs that there are great people in the world do amazing things, even if they are small acts.  These are the people that I wanted to be surrounded by each and everyday.  I appreciate donors who truly give because they are passionate enough about making a difference.

Day 97 of Gratefulness: Books

I don’t remember when the turning point was for my reading addiction but I am like a sponge now when it comes to books.  Yes, I have been sucked into the Harry Potter series, I just love the Twilight series and of course I read the Hunger Games in a matter of days.  I own all the movies that are currently out for these series as well.

The books I read the most though are in the personal development, fundraising and business areas.  I am so addicted to the information provided that some days I want the worlds largest white board to capture keys point from every book and review them daily as constant reminders.  There is some really great information in these books and I can easily access them in a matter of seconds thanks to my wonderful Kindle.  Just today alone I added 3 more books to my Amazon wish list.  I could sit and read all day but my poor dog would not be a happy camper if I did.  I am thankful that most books are paperless now since my love for trees is still greater than my love for books.  Now I get the best of both worlds.  

Day 96 of Gratefulness: Mother Earth

Everything that we can see right in front of us comes from Mother Earth in one form or another.  The brick wall in front to me came from Mother Earth, the blanket that I am wrapped in came from Mother Earth, the water at my bedside came from Mother Earth.  Though much of it was man-made through processing it was all derived from Mother Earth.  I truly appreciate all that this amazing Earth has given to me and to many others for years.  I don’t think we truly appreciate it because we do not truly understand what it means to be without it.  We see imagines of major hurricanes or Typhon’s hit across the globe and at the moment that is happens our eyes are glued to the TV watching the destruction and aftermath of these giant natural disasters.  Yes Mother Earth is creating these but it is a cause and effect world.  We are causing these effects.  We do not take the time to truly stop and smell the roses, to stand outside and look at the sky and absorb what we are given every day.  We breathe in and there is air, we turn a faucet on and there is water, we plant a seed and mostly something grows from it.  I say mostly as my growing success has been few and fair between and probably because I have not showed enough appreciation for what Mother Earth has given me.  They say you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you.  Instead love it, care for it and be thankful everyday that you have it. It is one of the few free things we have in this World and we need to take care of it.  If not it will no longer be there.  Here is to Mother Earth and to all the truly amazing things she provides us and the beauty we get to experience everyday.  

Day 95 of Gratefulness: Donovan

I have a passion for working with homeless and have since my time working with Urban Peak.  Recently I have become fond of the Denver Voice, mostly because of a vendor that I have befriended.  Through the short time that I have been volunteering with this organization I have had the privilege of getting to know Donovan.  I honestly barely know him but what I thoroughly enjoy about his presence is his energy and dedication to the work of the Denver Voice.  Every time I meet him he is upbeat and positive, willing to help and easy to talk to.   Working with homeless you need to be upbeat and positive.  They often come from a place that has no hope and when you meet someone that has true authentic hope, like Donovan, it is like the light at the end of the tunnel.  They need to know there is good in the world, they need to know there is someone there to support them and give them guidance as they grow and find themselves again.  Donovan seems to be that person for them.  I am truly lucky to have met him and I am excited to continue to get to know him and work with him on making this community a better place.