"Alone we can do so little; together, we can do so much." - Hellen Keller.
What do you think about these words? What comes to your mind? Alone we can do so little. How often do you feel incapable of doing something on your own? I am sure we have all reached a point in our lives where we feel defeated, where we are stuck and can't move forward. Then..someone comes to our rescue, we reach out for help, and all of a sudden things get a little easier. With the help of others by our sides, things seem to go smoother. We have two minds, two sets of hands, two pairs of eyes all working together. Doesn't that sound so much better then struggling all by yourself?
When we reach that down-in-the-dumps state of mind and someone steps in to guide us through, to overcome our struggles, how does that make us feel? For me, I struggle with balancing being a 19 year old full time college student with 2 part time jobs and having MY own business. I need people by my side guiding me and supporting me with wise knowledge. Did I realize this at first? Absolutely not! I wanted to complete and do everything all by myself..we were not wired to do so. Alone we can do so little...how true is that in my life!! There are so many other humans on this earth that we would be foolish not to reach for a helping hand.
Together, we can do so much. How much more do we achieve when we work together? Lets think of some of the greatest products of all times. Entrepreneurs like Ben and Jerry creating one of the worlds most delicious ice creams, Proctor and Gamble who have created hundreds of products we use daily, even Warner Bros. was created by multiple brothers so that we are able to enjoy so much entertainment. These individuals did not work alone, they worked with the people surrounding them to come up with these amazing ideas. You may be surprised at how many other companies came from partnerships and people working together. We have to work together to make the world spin.
You may already realize how important this is, but what will you do about it? How can you change the world by working with others? Let's start in our communities, Schuylkill County. How many times do you help out your friends in need, your family members who need your support, your neighbors? Maybe you are more attentive to those who are close to you. You help them, they help you. How about we reach out into our community and help them?
There are hundreds of organizations right here in Schuylkill County!! I will bet you haven't even heard of half of them before, that is the fun of it!! Check out our home page on the website. You will find 30+ organizations that you can get involved with. ALONE these organizations can do so little but TOGETHER so much can be achieved. Let us re-connect with our community, let us be the helping hands to organizations. These not-for-profit businesses work round the clock to provide services for us. They are working together but need people like me and you to save the day, to come take the huge load off their shoulders.
Not too long ago, I volunteered my time at the Schuylkill Women In Crisis Center. A crew of us completely organized their cluttered room of donated clothing. It took us almost the entire morning to short, fold, and hang clothes. To me, that was a simple task. Nothing too challenging and I had a great time being present and laughing with the individuals who joined me. Afterwards I thought "Did that really make a significant difference for their organization? Did I really help that much?" Some time passed by and I ran into a women from the center at a volunteer fair. After talking to her about visiting the center before and organizing that clothing room, she became very excited and thanked us for our work. She went on to tell us how much they value the work teams and volunteers that come in to organize that room. These organizations themselves are so busy trying to keep the lights on and complete so many other tasks they don't have time in their day to complete everything they want to. That is where we come into play.
I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, reach down and be that helping hand to our struggling community. Instead of filling your Saturday morning with TV cartoons, fill it with a day of giving back and working together. Log onto project4love.org, find which organization matches your passion, pack up the car and take the kids! Get ready to see how working together can change a community.
Follow along this summer as I take that step into our community. I will work together with new people, new faces, to build a better world for all of us to live in. Lets work together! Come back for more blog posts about events, volunteer work, and connections I will make all because of Project 4 Love.
Until I write again,
Love Lily
