Monday, January 23, 2012

Slip, Fall and WAIT...

Love happens at the strangest times...After a nice business lunch with a Berkley College Rep and Crystal, we returned by train back to work and were about to climb the stairs to exit the station when a young woman slipped on the snowy wet stairs and landed on her back at the bottom of the staircase. I immediately went over to see if she was okay.  From first glance she seemed stunned but not seriously injured...now here is where it gets tricky.  She complained that she was not okay, she couldn't sit down, she couldn't stand up, she couldn't move her leg, her backside was numb and all I'm thinking is why doesn't she just shake it off and move on already.  She is young, she should be able to bounce back easily!  It just appeared that she was "milking it" for some reason.  This is where Richard pre-lovecompetition would have said his goodbyes and made a hasty run for the exit and left that chick to her own devices.  But the post-lovecompetition Richard said, I have to stick around and see this through.  So with teammate Crystal we held her belongings, called EMS and waited for them to arrive.  We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited for EMS to arrive and that is where some of the nicest things started to happen.  The girl (Ada) thanked us for helping her and staying with her to make sure she was alright.  A bystander who happened to be an off duty EMT stopped and checked the girl out to assess the seriousness of her condition.  A random woman stopped and volunteered to call and wait for the EMT outside of the station (at least 15-20 minutes), and afterwards volunteered to call 311 to complain about how long EMT took to respond.  Various people stopped and asked if everything was ok and if there was anything they could do.  Granted the majority of people just kept on walking and looked annoyed that they had to go around the girl lying on the subway steps, but it was the minority that made me feel good about being a "first responder".  Crystal called the girl's mother (Fila) to let her know what happened and when she was taken by the ambulance, I called the mother to let her know what hospital her daughter would be in. 
Although I'm not sure how hurt the girl really was, I honestly do feel good that I stopped and saw the incident through to the end.  Instead of rushing to get back behind my desk I stopped to help and comfort another human being.  Maybe next time she sees someone who needs help she will remember that two people helped her one time and she will feel the need to do the same.  Maybe those people that passed us by without saying a word will examine why they didn't stop to help also and might reconsider if it happens to them again.  Love, caring, and compassion can truly be contagious.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

GIVING JUST GOT EASIER...I THINK!? So this weekend started on a very sour note! On Saturday shortly after the end of our first snow storm, I totaled my car in a spin out on the LIE. Luckily I walked away without a scratch or bruise but needless to say it put quite a damper on my spirits. Today, I came into the City to go to a play ( I purposely chose Sunday because I could drive in and park my car with little hassle). But without my trusted hooptie of 12 years, I had to ride the train. I'm a real NYer but I hate the subway. So after the show and dinner, I begrudgingly get back on the F train to Queens for the long ride home. I missed the train and must wait for the next, whenever that will be. Waiting on the platform, I noticed an old woman layered in men's clothing and tattered gloves with sneakers that had clearly outlived any real usefulness, because the top was separating from the sole. She carried an overstuffed children's napsack, adorned with Dora the Explorer and was struggling to get her arm into the garbage can a remove a black bag which she apparently believed had food in it. This is precisely why I hate the subway, it is a shocking reminder of the separation between "the have" and "the have nots"! On any given day you can see some well dressed man or woman toting a designer bag filled with electronic gadgets and financial portfolios passing by someone whose life and personal belongings are toted in black garbage bags...But I digress... I make eye contact with her and step a little closer to her saying, "Are you hungry momma"? She lowers her head and says yes,yes, or rather "Si,Si". I offer her a bag of grapes I had packed in my bag as a snack, which she reluctantly takes, then I reach into my pocket to give her $3. She takes the money but tries to give me back $2, saying that she doesn't want to make me poor! I smile and tell her it is ok, take the money and God Bless. She scurries off, a lot faster than I thought she could move. Perhaps she was younger than her hard life could display. Before the next train arrives, I see her back on the platform with a buttered roll - not sure where she got it so fast, but I could see the relief and gratitude in her face for her simple meal. Wow! I finally see why we are doing this! It was an overwhelming feeling to step outside of myself and my funky attitude to bring a moment of comfort to another person. Even more amazing is that even though I was trying to help her, she didn't want to put me out. It was just a humbling moment, for which I was more grateful to her for allowing me to help than she was with her bread and butter. Giving just got a little easier...at least I hope. 1 week down and 51 more to go :)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Giving Ain't Easy!!

So like Rich, I spent the day taking care of some domestic necessaries! For me that meant getting my personal "stuff" out of my home office so I can actually conduct some business there. What I discovered is that I have a lot of surplus items that have outlived thier usefulness to me , but could serve well for someone in need.  Though I've never seen myself as a consumer junkie, I found at least 8 old cell phones that can be donated, an unused lithium battery, a fully functional IBM laptop, complete with docking station, external mouse and  a mini pc cam. TADA! An opportunity to give!!

Well, no so fast Mother Theresa...Yesterday was MLK Day and despite finding a few programs on-line that will take my good junk, they were all closed for the Holiday :(

I did also find perfectly good coupons and special offers for products I do not use, which I graciously gave to my personal assistant who works per diem and is on a tight budget. Though I would hardly describe her as "needy or less fortunate" it was nice to give them away rather than throw them away. 

Not quite the giving with a bang I was looking for, but today is another day!! 

Give and Let Give!!

CC

Uhhh.... what do I do???

Okay, so the cousin and sis "say" they are in... although I still have my doubts...haha.  And yesterday I did laundry and some errands around the house.  Definitely not a spectacular start to my love fest!  But I just read the newspaper this morning and have been inspired all over again.  President Obama said yesterday, in honor of MLK day, "There's nobody who can't serve, nobody who can't help somebody else.  And whether you're seven or six or whether you're 76, then you can find opportunities to make an enormous difference in your community."  I also read that Reading, PA is now the most poverty stricken city in the US.  I want to see if there is something I could do to help, was thinking of calling their local food bank and maybe making a collection here and sending it there.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

With less than 2 hours to the official start of the Love Competition, I find myself strangely obsessed with the idea of giving and what opportunities lie ahead for me show one love and kindness. In fact, before this competition there were were several unsought after and unintended opportunities to give; many of which opened my eyes to the value giving unselfishly has on the receiver of the kind deed. I wonder if consciously trying to do good will have the same impact on the recipient or on me? Will the intent still be pure or will any hesitation to do good be erased by the desire to gain competitive momentum? We shall see! But my obsession continues as I even looked for a book on the power of giving. See the link to the excerpt of one book I found touting the internal and external benefits of giving. http://thepowerofgiving.org/excerpt

Friday, January 13, 2012

From what we get, we can make a living;
what we give, however, makes a life. 

Arthur Ashe
American Tennis Player, Activist 

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

"Wouldn't it be a beautiful world if just 10% of the people who believe in the power of love would compete to see who could do the most good for the most people."
Welcome to the Loooooove Competition Blog!  Here is where you will write all of your experiences, thoughts, feelings, questions and yes…even complaints (although how one could have complaints in a love competition is beyond me, but hey…)  Here is also where you will keep track of your money collected, donated, and given.  You will also keep track of your non-monetary do-goodery, like that little old lady you helped cross the street the other day, or the little boy you helped to find his Mommy.  We will be scored on the amount of money we collect/donate/give and the amount of people helped.  Extra credit will be given to any thing documented with video, not that we don't trust you, it will just be fun and motivating to see our good deeds in action.  Not sure yet what the prize will be for the winner besides bragging rights and a huge sense of satisfaction, but we can work on that as time goes on.  We are starting the competition on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (thanks Crystal for the suggestion) great day to start the love on a day that honors someone that believed in the power of love and the miracles good people can achieve... so you all have a few days to get the nastiness, meanness and downright ugliness out of your system!  Let's make 2012 a year we can look back on with immense pride and accomplishment and a renewed sense of the amazing things we can do when we put our mind to it!  Can you feeeeeel the loooooove???? hahaha