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The GoodLetter Thursday, July 18, 2002
GoodThings, Inc. :: Stories, actions, ideas, and greeting cards that connect us.
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Greeting Card of the Week
One World: Peace, Love, and Understanding
There's nothing funny about peace, love, and understanding, but they're wonderful ideas to celebrate with people you care about who care about making the world a better place. Buy just one pack of 8 greeting cards for only $12.50 or a few single cards for $2.50 each (plus shipping/handling) and help make it possible for us to continue promoting positive and constructive organizations, ideas, and people. We can't do it without you. Don't forget: you can also choose from all our cards to create a variety pack of all your favorites!
(We print all our cards on recycled paper using soy ink.)
Would your non-profit organization or progressive company like to use customized GoodThings Greeting Cards for your holiday or membership correspondence or for fundraising? Send an e-mail to cards@goodthings.com and ask us about our card customization program!
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Click the card to see it enlarged or to order
Text on card: Peace - Love - Understanding
Inside: blank
(friendship, general) |
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This Week's Feature
That Human Touch
by Celeste Wilson
Motivated by examples of how genuine human kindness has the power to turn people's lives around, one woman envisions her own constructive pursuit and resolves to begin it.
Fellow GoodLetter readers,
My name is Celeste Wilson, and I live in Colorado. Until recently, I had been homeless for two years, as a result of multiple sclerosis. I am working to begin my own non-profit organization, the Box Foundation.
I have some college education, and I was a professional at one point, earning an excellent income, before a rape threw me into trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. After subsequent psychological and personal problems, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and was unable to work. I became homeless, living in my truck. I have recently been approved for disability, and after two years of being homeless, I have finally gotten an apartment and found housing assistance.
I was deeply touched by last week's GoodLetter about the non-profit Women of Means from Judith Perry in Boston [#95, Means To A Better End]. While I was homeless these past two years and living off credit cards, I knew I had to do one thing to keep my self-esteem up. So I took one class at the college each semester. The class I chose was the Honors seminar series class, the first step in an attempt to go back and finally finish my degree. This Honors class allowed me to study the marginalized community of the homeless on both the community level and the national level -- while I lived the experience -- and then present my findings to colleges throughout the state and then the western United States at a regional conference.
I have been so moved by my experiences -- mostly by reading the writings of other homeless individuals, by realizing how deeply their self-esteem is affected, how much self-esteem is lost, by hearing the questions people ask, and by realizing that lack of communication is creating a barrier, a gap that some of the homeless -- unless that gap is bridged -- will never be able to cross. The lack of self-esteem, the loss of family, the loss of friends, the loss of community that the homeless experience was astonishing to me, both as I experienced it, and as I read the words of others that came from their hearts.
By beginning her non-profit and by providing health care to homeless women, Dr. Roseanna Means gave more than health care; she gave them the feeling of being cared about. Doctors in our society give health care all the time without hearing their patients. Without listening. Listening is essential to self- esteem, as is knowing you are heard and knowing you are not invisible.
That is the core idea behind the Box Foundation. The Box Foundation will collect used goods to be distributed to homeless people, but the emphasis will be on new items. So many people shop at bulk warehouse stores such as Sam's and Costco these days, where they want one tube of toothpaste but buy three. They can throw one of the tubes of toothpaste in a box they keep in their house. Or if they shop at K-Mart or Target, they can just buy a package of underwear or socks or soap or shaving cream or razors or an extra toothbrush and throw it in the box. That's why my non-profit will be called the Box Foundation. We'll accept the used books they are not going to keep. We'll need "forgotten" items that other non-profits overlook.
Since the Box Foundation is a new organization, people have asked me why I will not be distributing the goods through other already established foundations. To me, what Dr. Means offers her patients is my example of why. A tube of toothpaste doesn't raise self-esteem, nor does a package of socks. Being recognized by another human being, being able to talk, being listened to, and being looked in the eye is vital in our world. It lets an individual know they are alive, they have value and worth, they are not forgotten, and they are worthy not just of used goods, but of new things, of effort, of time, of hearing their own name spoken, of getting to know their name, and of human contact. I want the Box Foundation to be able to add this kind of outreach to homeless and disadvantaged people.
Humans need human contact. Being homeless often means no one will look you in the eye, ever ask your name, or care about you. It means forgotten holidays. I once read something in the Denver Voice homeless newspaper, written by a homeless man. He stated he wanted to be part of the world in "dance, song, laughter, food, prayer, sports, food, and merry times...and I miss it so...I miss you so...do you know how long it's been since I've played?"...I miss the touch of human companionship so." A number of such writings have moved me incredibly. I wish I could quote them all.
My point is this: human touch is vital to health, and listening is vital, and Dr. Means has not forgotten the importance of simply caring. And I am so grateful for simply reading Judith Perry's GoodLetter about Women of Means and Dr. Means work today, as I search for the willpower to begin my venture to make to make a difference in my corner of the world.
All any of us can do is begin where we are. There are two quotes that give me much strength, as I try to begin something this large, only one and one-half months after I have establishing stable housing. The two quotes are by Marianne Williamson (and later used by former South African President Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech), and the second is by Goethe.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. [...But] as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-- from Marianne Williamson's book Return to Love
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.... All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."
-- Goethe
:: Celeste Wilson
Denver, Colorado
(Thoughts on Celeste's GoodLetter? 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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TALK ABOUT IT
Celeste Wilson was inspired to write because of last week's GoodLetter. How will you continue the conversation in your own pursuits to begin something positive and constructive in the world? Do you have a GoodLetter in you? Share them.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT
:: Read (or re-read!) Judith Perry's GoodLetter from last week, Means To A Better End
:: Denver Voice
:: World Home
:: Oxford House
:: Marianne Williamson's Return to Love
:: More quotes from Goethe
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
:: Interested in learning more about Celeste Wilson's nascent Box Foundation and how you can support her work? Send an e-mail request to us editor@goodthings.com with "Box Foundation" in the subject line and a brief message describing your interest. We'll help you get involved!
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Readers Respond
Thanks to so many of you for sharing your thoughts and ideas about recent GoodLetters. Celeste Wilson is not the only GoodLetter reader who had something to say about Judith Perry's Means To An End GoodLetter. In this week's Readers Respond, we hear from a doctor in India, a Canadian lacrosse player, and a bird-watcher in Florida:
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Dear GoodThings,
I am a practicing doctor in India. I read the life story of Barbara in last week's GoodLetter [#95, Means To A Better End]. Timely help to Barbara could provide her with good health care and psychological support to cope with her problems. This story is an inspiration to me in my work for destitutes in need in India, particularly in very big cities like Bangalore.
Sri Hari
Bangalore, India
:: Did you miss Judith Perry's GoodLetter [#95, Means To A Better End]? Read it now.
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Dear GoodThings,
This July 4, in addition to the GoodLetter about Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land [#94, Whose Land Is This Land?], we also heard the news of a court ruling which held that "under God" in the US Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional. We are a nation of many different religions. The key word in the pledge is "indivisible." What divides people more than religion? What has caused most wars? Religion. One big reason our democracy is so successful is the fact that citizens live in relative peace even though they are many different religions. A state religion has no place in our democracy as it would only divide us. We are one nation, one people, one democracy, indivisible. Let everyone believe as they wish and keep our government free of religion.
Susan Emge Milliner
Cedar Park, Texas
:: Did you miss GoodLetter [#94, Whose Land Is This Land?]? Read it now.
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Dear GoodThings,
Just thought I would add this bit of information to Jeff Cady's wonderful GoodLetter about coaching lacrosse [#92, The Love of the Game]. As a proud Canadian, I think it should be known that lacrosse is Canada's national sport! Hockey and soccer are big up here, but lacrosse is the national sport of our great country. Oh Canada!
Chris Ashby
:: Did you miss Jeff Cady's GoodLetter [#92, The Love of the Game]? Read it now.
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Dear GoodThings,
I have just moved to Florida, near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, where I am learning the birds, which are all new to me. Reading about Gloria Fisher watching the ibis from her home in South Africa [GoodLetter #60, The Way I See It], I felt connected, as we have ibis here, too. Sometimes they fly right through our backyard. Sometimes they walk across the lawn. On opposite sides of the world, even though we have many differences, we share the beauty of ibis.
Debra Lynn Dadd
:: Did you miss Gloria Fisher's GoodLetter [#60, The Way I See It]? Read it now.
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Don't forget our new feature, Good Gratitude. Keep your thank-you letters coming! Let the world know how much you appreciate the people who have made a difference in your life. Send your best thank-you letters to gratitude@goodthings.com -- and don't forget to tell us your name and where you're from.
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
The Upshot will be back next week. Have a great weekend.
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GoodThings on Public Radio
Have you been checking out our favorite public radio stories? Here are some of our favorite public radio pieces from this week (follow this link or the one below to the full summaries on our Web site):
:: "Experiment in Idealism" -- The founder of Seeds of Peace died last week, but his extraordinary summer camp bringing teenage Palestinians and Israelis together continues to flourish.
:: Music's Emotional Truth -- Before she was a singer-songwriter, Lucy Kaplansky was a clinical psychologist. But even though she's now making music full-time, she's never stopped exploring the human psyche.
:: Growing Smart in New Jersey -- The state that set the standard for the all the negative impacts that can come from suburban sprawl finally takes the problem to the very top with a governor-appointed growth management council.
:: Teaching Compassion By Example -- An innovator in children's broadcasting for decades, "Sesame Street" adds a new character for a generation that will never know a society that's not battling HIV/AIDS.
:: Home Built On Friendship -- What do you get when you put a group of people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse in the same house? A home with as much love and support as any you'll find.
:: Keeping Culture Alive -- Afghan tile-making has a rich tradition that continues to thrive even though the country's crises seem ceaseless.
:: Minority Report: Networks Should Do More -- Think prime-time television looks lily-white? So does a coalition of people of color advocating for greater diversity in the mainstream media.
Visit our site to read full summaries of these stories and listen to your favorites.
Talk to us:
What's the best public radio story you've heard this week?
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