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The GoodLetter Thursday, September 26, 2002
GoodThings, Inc. :: Stories, actions, ideas, and greeting cards that connect us.
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Greeting Card of the Week
Colorful Voices: Connecting across the world
A few weeks back, we heard from a reader in Delmont, Pennsylvania, who wanted to send GoodThings greeting cards to a reader from the Gambia whose letter had been featured in our Readers Respond section. Well, her order came from Pennsylvania to us here in Seattle, and we shipped two packs of our Colorful Voices cards (like this one to the right) to The Gambia in West Africa. And the best part? We just received this letter:
Dear GoodThings,
I write to inform you that today I received the GoodThings greeting cards your GoodLetter reader from Delmont, Pennsylvania, sent to me. Thank you so much.
In more ways than one, I am very surprised, fascinated,
and happy. Having received the package, I visited a
friend with it, showed him, and shared some of the
cards with him. A friend of his was to celebrate his
birthday today, so I gave him one. My friend lost job a year ago and did not even have the money to buy his friend a card. I
guess I saved the day.
I was almost moved to tears by your reader's gesture --
totally unexpected. That is a typically "goodthing" to
do for someone. I hope I find the opportunity to do
likewise for someone around here. I tend to like such
chain reactions.
With every good wish,
Dele
Serrekunda, The Gambia (learn about good things in Serrekunda [and still more])
Consider sharing GoodThings greeting cards with someone you know (or even someone you don't!). Every card you buy and send helps broaden awareness of progressive actions and ideas around the world. (We print all our cards on recycled paper using soy ink.)
Please visit our online store today by clicking here or on any card
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Click the card to see it enlarged or to order
Front (of above card):
If I were in charge of the world...there'd be more plants and flowers and everyday we'd go to the moon
Inside (of above card):
blank
If you think customized GoodThings Greeting Cards like the ones pictured at the left would be perfect for your non-profit organization or company -- or even your family -- to use for the holidays, send an e-mail to cards@goodthings.com and ask us about our card customization program and volume discounts.
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This Week's Feature
Jump-Starting Life
Two GoodLetters from Cross-Cultural Solutions
Ever feel as if you'd love to volunteer to do something constructive AND plan a good vacation, but don't have time for both? With one non-profit group, adventurous souls have found they can have their cake and eat it, too.
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Dear GoodLetter readers,
I read about Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) in Childreach magazine in 1996. It was a time of transition for me – I was turning 50 and the last of my seven children had just left home. I had spent 18 years working in child welfare services with abused and neglected children, and I was tired. I wanted to "jump-start" the next 50 years. And I had always wanted to go to India. When I saw the CCS ad in Childreach, I knew that volunteering was the perfect way for a person like me to visit the country.
What I found was life-changing. I had worked for many years with low-income communities on the US East Coast, and everyone was so angry. So I had learned to equate poverty with anger. In India I learned that (1) I didn't know what poverty was and (2) I saw happy people. There is a sense of spirituality and family in India that we've lost in the U.S.
I only went for three weeks, but when I got back, nothing was the same. I had learned to appreciate things more. I no longer took my washer and dryer for granted! It really expanded my worldview – previously, I had only left the U.S. to visit Greece. I think I am more tolerant now of things that Americans get crazy over, like road rage, for example. That kind of thing is not important to me anymore.
My trip to India gave me the desire to continue to experience cultures the way I had there – to immerse myself and become part of the community. I made friends still keep in touch with today. International volunteering is a way of bringing the world closer together.
[ Later, Marge volunteered again in Russia. ]
I brought along my 77-year-old mother, and we volunteered together at an orphanage in the city of Yaroslavl. My mother was wondering what she could do and I said, "Mom, you knit – why don't you teach the kids how to do that?" so she brought along a suitcase full of yarn and knitting needles. She taught a group of 12- to 15-year-old girls how to knit mittens. There was a little girl named Julia, about 13, who especially bonded with my mother. They were posing for a photograph -- my mother and Julia and Julia's finished red mittens. Julia has a huge smile on her face in the picture. After the photo was taken, she turned to my mother and said, "This is the first new thing I have ever owned."
There was a little boy, about 8, who was always frowning, always angry. I would be standing at the window and see him outside, smoking with his friends. One day, I was taking photos of all the kids, one of each. The angry little boy kept bugging me, "Where's my photo, where's my photo?" Constantly he'd ask, "When am I going to get my photo?" I finally got them developed and went to give his picture to him, mainly to get him off my back. When I handed it to him, his whole face lit up, the first time I'd seen him smile. He looked at it for a moment and then held it out to me, saying, "I wanted it for you."
When you volunteer, you come away so full from what you've done. You make a difference. In this day and age, post-9/11, people are feeling empty and want to know what they can do to make a difference -- here it is. It's one kid at a time. When you leave this program, everyone you've touched sees America as you – it becomes personal. You can't do that as a tourist.
Marge Rubin
Youngsville, New York
~~~
I spent three weeks in India with Cross-Cultural Solutions. I am pre-med and I wanted to do something health care-related, so I was placed at Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying and Destitute. It was a very intense experience. I had a vision of what it would be like, but when I got there, it was a little scary. My goal was to become comfortable with being around people who were very sick, and by the end of it, I was.
I speak Bengali, and I could communicate with some of the people. Some of the patients told stories of growing up on the street and Mother Teresa's was the best thing that ever happened to them. For others, who were once professionals, it was the worst thing. I also did rounds with the doctors, did bandaging, put away medications, and helped some people eat. I even did some acupuncture!
Anyone could have done what I did while I was there. I learned a lot about the people there and connecting with them was so much more possible than I had thought it would be. I think it was very productive with respect to my personal goals. I learned why I want to be a doctor.
There was a woman whom I spoke with every day at Mother Teresa's. Every day, we had a conversation. When I first got there, the nuns asked if anyone spoke Bengali, and they dragged me over to this woman.
At first, it was difficult to communicate with her, and she was a bit suspicious, but we got to talking. Turned out she was from the same area as my grandmother, which made her a bit sad because her own family had abandoned her. At the end of my three week CCS experience, she was crying. She said I had become like a grandson to her.
The whole thing was just an amazing experience.
:: Anupam Basuray
Columbus, Ohio
(Thoughts on these GoodLetters? Inspired by what you've read? E-mail us -- don't forget to tell us your name, where you're from, and if we can use your words in a future GoodLetter or on our Web site.)
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Readers Respond
Throughout our summer hiatus, we heard so many positive thoughts from so many of you about our plea to our readers' to help us stay in business -- and so many of you lent your support by purchasing GoodThings greeting cards.
Thanks also for continuing to offer your thoughtful feedback on recent GoodLetters. Keep your letters coming. We love to hear from you.
~~~~~~~
Last week, we announced the beginning of our second annual Favorite GoodThings campaign by calling for nominations of your favorite ideas, actions, and organizations that are dedicated to making this a better world. We were also reminded by one of our readers about the power and significance of the documentary film, Lalee's Kin, one of our Favorite GoodThings 2001 honorees:
Dear GoodThings,
I am from the area where this documentary was done. As a black woman, I know firsthand the struggles and daily battles of living in the area. As a child of teachers, I also know how hard it is to make changes in an area where the culture of poverty is so heavily entrenched in the past and current generations in the area. My "goodthing" is that at this time, I am a Ph.D. student whose main objective is to alleviate poverty in the area. I am looking for economic development ideas that will address many of the unique economic and cultural issues keeping the Mississippi Delta in its current condition.
Leslie Taylor-Grover
Charleston, Mississippi
:: Have you sent us your nomination in our Favorite GoodThings 2002 campaign? Help us recognize the people and groups and ideas that have made a difference in the world this year. First, give yourself a minute or two to remind yourself about the 25 honorees from last year by visiting our site at: www.goodthings.com/02_00_2001favorites.asp
Then, give the past year some careful thought and send us your nominations for Favorite GoodThings 2002.
~~~~~~~~~~
Many of you were moved by Gloria Fisher's GoodLetter last week -- The Way I See It: A Global Snapshot -- about how the view out her back door reminds her of the interconnectedness of all things:
Dear GoodThings,
That article was beautiful and I truly appreciated it. I live near San Francisco, California, but I was born in Botswana in Africa. I believe wholeheartedly in hope for humanity and that we are all connected.
Thank you,
Simin Jones
:: Did you miss Gloria Fisher's GoodLetter [#105, The Way I See It]? Read it now.
~~~~~~~~~~
We love to hear from you about anything: ideas or situations that are inspiring you or challenging you to think, as well as organizations, programs, and people that contribute to your community and the world everyday. Please drop us a line.
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The Upshot:
Circle Journey College Care Pack
Once again, it's the season when school begins, and many university students are leaving home for the first time. Our friends at Circle Journey -- they're the folks who make the beautiful blank books that are designed to help friends and loved ones connect in creative ways through handwritten memories and storytelling -- have come up with a new way for families and friends to connect across the miles with the favorite college students in their lives. They've created something they're calling a "College Care Pack." The Care Pack contains all kinds of treats, the most important of which are two Circle Journey books and over a dozen stunningly designed Circle Journey postcards. It's a care package that will make keeping in touch that much more wonderful.
To learn more about the Circle Journey College Pack or to learn more about how Circle Journey works, visit the Circle Journey Web site: www.circlejourney.com
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Good Gravy
Our end-of-summer hiatus is over, and we're excited to announce that Good Gravy is moving in a direction that we think fans of our Favorite GoodThings feature will love. Each week, we'll feature a new list of Good Gravy recommendations from a GoodLetter reader or from someone here at GoodThings. So send us your own personal top-ten list (or top five) of all things entertainment related -- the books or articles you're reading, the movies you've rented or seen in the theaters, the music that you can stop listening to -- and it might end up here in our revamped Good Gravy section!
To get things started, we asked GoodThings founder, Barcy Fisher, what Good Gravy got her through the summer. Here's what she said (in no particular order!):
1. (book) The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, by Louise Erdrich
"It was easy for me to become absorbed in this latest Erdrich offering. Once again, she manages to fill the pages with interesting and complex characters and a compelling story-line. It made me want to re-read all of Erdrich's books (Love Medicine, The Bingo Palace, The Beet Queen, Tracks, etc.) just to re-immerse myself in the fascinating social landscape of the Ojibwe reservation."
2. (music) Home, by the Dixie Chicks
"These girls can rock! I haven't been able to stop listening since this one came out. Fun with an edge."
3. (book) Mother of Pearl, by Melinda Haynes
"Don't expect a happy tale here, but I found solace in the unusual relationships that develop across race and class lines. In the end, love doesn't care about the color of our skin."
4. (book) Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1933, by Blanche Wiesen Cook
"I'm in the middle of this one now, and I wish I had more time to read. What a fascinating and complex person! I only wish I had the strength, stamina and courage of this former First Lady."
5. (music) Cold Spring Harbor, by Billy Joel
"Always a favorite of mine when I'm in a melancholic mood. It's Billy's first album, and in spite of a somewhat tinny sound, the tunes on this one are some of the best."
6. (book) The Art of Raising a Puppy, by New Skete Monks
"Don't laugh. Every dog owner I've spoken to raves about the dog training books from these monks from upstate New York. And with a new puppy in the house, I need all the help I can get!"
7. (music) The Four Seasons, by Antonio Vivaldi
"Another all-time favorite of mine. Pop it in the player and I'm magically motivated to clean my house. Odd, but true."
8. (documentary film to rent) Hands on a Hard Body
"You'll get a raised eyebrow from the video store clerk when you bring this one up to the counter. But don't worry, the "hard body" in this case is a truck, and the film is a documentary about people's ability to do almost anything to win a brand new truck. Who knew people had the desire and the stamina to stand with their hands on a truck for three straight days? It's fascinating social commentary."
9. (music) Family Dance, by Dan Zanes and friends
"Way hip children's music! Your kids will think you are actually cool when you start to play this one."
10. (magazine) New York Times Magazine
"OK, so this isn't exactly a rare find, but it's too good not to mention. It's amazing how it's the only magazine I manage to read (or at least skim) cover to cover each week. The Travel section is nice, but it's the magazine the makes my Sunday mornings! Just last week, my buddy Billy Joel made the grade."
Talk to us: What's your Good Gravy? Let's start sharing good entertainment finds with each other! Send us your list of what you're reading, watching, or listening to and let us know why you think it's good. Your Good Gravy could be featured here next week.
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