Day 3: Mission Accomplished

"We have done what the entire world was waiting for.  The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing."  Luis Urzua, the 33rd Chilean miner rescued on October 13, 2010.





Fresh air.  Family.  Joy and exuberance at being rescued!  The Fenix (the name of the capsule) has risen, bringing each of these men safely home.


After 70 days trapped in the depths of the earth, the Chilean miners have been rescued.  The world has been watching, and we rejoice with the miners and the whole country of Chile. Since August 5, thirty-three men were trapped in the San Jose Mine when 700,000 tons of rocks collapsed, entombing them deep within the earth.   The tale is unfolding as each of these men is finally able to share their story, which makes it even more amazing to see them entering the waiting arms of their families knowing what they endured.   Seventeen days hoping and praying they would not be forgotten, and then an additional 53 days for the rescue operation to successfully extract them from the depths.  The joy is evident in the exuberant screams, chants, hugs, kisses, and the tears of a son being reunited with his father.  

Day 2: Hope Lives On

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was an icon of my generation.  A household name, symbolizing someone devout and giving.  A representative of goodness and hope to those who hadn't experienced either in a very long time, if ever.  This year she would have turned 100 if she were still living.  Her legacy still lives on, and continues to impact innumerable lives.


Sixty years ago this month, she established the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, a Roman Catholic order of nuns.  The mission was to reach the "poorest of the poor" and to care for (in Mother Teresa's words) "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."  Starting with 12 nuns, the order has grown to present day more than 4,500 nuns, established on all continents and in more than 150 countries.  


That is good news!  Not only that so many people have been cared for, but that goodness and hope are infectious.  Mother Teresa's vision, passion, and burden have inspired thousands to care for the outcasts, and continues even 13 years after her death.  Sixty years of hope for the hopeless, and still counting.   


Information for this blog entry was acquired from Wikipedia and from the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center's Official Site.

Day 1: Interruption

I'm not a blogger, or really anyone who has ever wanted to have a diary or written narrative with which to hassle.  But I feel confronted nearly each day when I turn on the news, radio, or glance at the internet, and see one sad story after another.  Our world is clearly imperfect.  We humans are definitely not making it easy on ourselves.  Living, though, in this constant state of despair only creates and fosters fear.  Fear of people, nature, the unknown, and life as we know it. 


I am a mother now, and fear is not the legacy I want to leave my daughter.  It is a choice that I (and my husband) have to make, and somehow we have to figure out how to not shelter her from reality, but to also instill in her a sense of hope.  Not only do I want her to know of the good news that is currently happening in her first year or so of life, but I also have this intense desire to expose myself to good news.  I need to have my hope restored.  Merriam-Webster defines interrupt as "to break the uniformity or continuity of," and that is clearly what my life and thought process needs.  To be interrupted.  I need this interruption, to remember that there is good in this world.  So that I in turn can instill this hope in her.  


So, this blog is born.  As a means to document my journey to find a positive story, event, person, or charity each day for a year.  My wish is that some day my daughter will be able to look back and see that amazing events and people filled the days at the start of her life, and that goodness and hope continues as she grows older.  


I'll start with an easy one: TOMS Shoes, an amazing organization.  This is their mission.
 "TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. The TOMS mission transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.
Why shoes?
Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

• A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.
• Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they are also dangerous when wounds become infected.
• Often, children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential."

Just this last week, TOMS blog documented their millionth pair shoe drop in Argentina, and also established a new giving partnership with IMA World Health to bring shoes to children in Haiti.  What an awesome organization!  Thank you for what you are doing.  (And yes, I love my TOMS shoes!)