This is the Moment You've Been Waiting For

I am greatly, infinitely, wonderfully, blessed. 

This moment matters more than any other. This "now" that you are experiencing. You can embrace this moment. Let it carry weight and significance in your life. Or you can choose to let it slip away.

All we ever get is a moment.

We are not promised a better, greater, more important tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow could be all that and more, but we have no guarantee that it will be. And even if it is, we tend, even in those most delightful of moments, to keep looking for something more amazing, more incredible, more wow than then now we are currently in.

And as blessed as we all are, we tend to think our blessings are never...enough.

But they are. I am blessed because I have the luxury to be sitting on my couch at 11:24 am this Thursday morning and write these words. 

I had coffee to drink, breakfast to eat, hot water for my shower, clean clothes to wear, and gas in the car. And I have a day unfolding ahead of me in which I can do, well, pretty much whatever I want. 

• I can answer and send emails related to work
• I can post a tweet or update a status
• I can go for a run or a walk
• I can drink another cup of coffee
• I can nap
• I can put on my cape and save the world
• I can eat chocolate covered peanuts

I'm selfish at times certainly. I like my space. I like to wander around antique stores and take photos. I like to eat oranges and have my fingers smell sweet and feel sticky from the juice. I like to try on dresses and shoes for occasions I will never attend because invitations never come. I like to write, on my blog and in my journal. I like to sit in the sun and stretch my legs out and sip an iced chai tea latte and watch the clouds. 

I like to celebrate my successes and those of my friends, over a nice lunch of egg drop soup, chicken fried rice, and vegetable lo mien, with an egg roll and a fortune cookie which will tell me my future in cryptic terms and will have great impact on how I spend the rest of my day. 

And what I think is a good day might not be your good day, but that's okay because life really shouldn't be a competition of how many celebrities you meet, or how many events you get invited to, or how many likes you get on an instagram photo. 

But the moments that matter the most, that we tend to overlook and think we will have again are...

...spent reading Dr. Seuss's And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street to your daughter's first grade class because she asked you to. Because that moment of asking will start to fade as she gets older, as having your mom come into the classroom to read isn't the norm, as wanting to dress in crowns and feather boas, will slowly turn into wanting to fit it with the "it crowd."

...spent talking for hours with your son about the time paradoxes in Dr. Who and which companion(s) were the best and how Tom Baker (the fourth Dr.) really established the tone of the series and how other actors establish their Doctor's character. 

...spent sitting on a couch in the quiet of the early morning next to your oldest son, who reaches over and holds your hand, without words being said, and even though it lasts but a moment, it matters. 

For the truth, as Charles Bukowski said, is that "we are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that death will tremble to take us."

seize the day, every day

Some friendships last a lifetime, some we find have no life in them.

Some causes we work for work our fingers to the bone and leave us feeling world worn and weary. Some causes work for us, bringing us into spheres of influence in which we can create great interest and generate impact. But all causes, great and small, require our commitment to the small and the large moments, our willingness to take bold leaps of faith when faith is lacking, and our ability to land with grace even when we stumble.

Some moments we can make memorable and immortalize, other moments slip through our fingers and leave no trace, other than a slight film which we wipe away the first moment we get.


Far too often we measure our value, our worth, our significance by how many likes or shares we get for a post, by how many invitations to events we receive, by how many awards sit on a shelf. We minimize the story times, the television talks, the gentle holding of hands as moments we can have again if we missed them the first time.

So today, take a moment to say please and thank you, take a moment to say I love you, take a moment to let those you care about know you care, and always, when asked, and whenever possible, take a moment to be fully, completely, absolutely body and soul, present in the present.

Your moment is now...what will you do with it?

Feeling Blue About Blue Jean Day

It's not like a dollar is a lot of money, right?

But this week I found myself contemplating, perhaps more so than usual, just what one dollar can buy.

At the grocery store that dollar could buy me at least three packages of ramen noodles. That's three evenings of dinner.

But for my daughter, that one dollar would mean she could wear jeans to school on Friday.

And fit in with all her other classmates who were wearing jeans.

And as she listed for me all the reasons wearing jeans WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, I have to admit...I wasn't really listening.

Because I was tired, still had a headache, and was hungry. And darn it, that one dollar could buy three packages of ramen noodles.

Which I tried to explain to her would be my dinner for the next three nights.

And, lip quivering, she said "so I can't have a dollar for jean day?"

And these are the thoughts that raced through my mind:

How many times is this type of conversation repeated in homes all across America where hunger is so real it feels as if it is another person sitting at the table. It isn't just about jeans day, but every scrap of paper that comes home from school from the dedicated parent group or classroom asking for students to ask their parents to buy class pictures, books, wrapping paper, cookie dough. Or asking parents to go visit a local restaurant where 10% of their meal that night will be donated back to the school. Or after school extracurricular club or athlete fees. Or summer program to Costa Rica fees (just $2000 for a two week tour that can count for college credit and looks great on your college application).

It's a long list, isn't it? And while the average, every day family not struggling to make every dollar into more than three packages of ramen noodles, may be able to afford some (but certainly not all) of the extras...

...some simply can't. And quite often because they can't they are made to feel, in a subtle way, as if they don't care enough about their children. As if they jeans day, or silly hat day, or pajama day participation is what demonstrates to their community that their child has value and worth.

But that's not a standard of measurement I want to have or encourage.

I'm sure if I added up all the pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars I have thoughtlessly handed my children these last ten years of schooling I could probably have supported a trip for all of us to Costa Rica.

But even better, I probably could have helped feed a family in my community.

Yes, my daughter got that dollar and she skipped her way into school that day. And so did another child I'm sure.

A child whose mother went without a meal just to make sure that no one thought less of her child or made her child feel different.

Hunger in America isn't other, it really is the family right next door.

For more information on how to help with advocacy for your community, 

please go to RESULTS, World Food Program USA, or Bread for the Table.

Brunch Was Definitely Food For Thought

It never fails. Every year during Live Below the Line week there is a community event to which I am invited. An event that always involves a meal. A meal that brings up the question:

• if you are offered the food but didn't pay for it out of your budget is it okay to eat? 

In other words, is it cheating if you eat "above the line" even though you have budgeted and planned to eat "below the line"?

I posed this question to several friends and answers varied. After all many who live below the line frequent food banks or take a meal from a local shelter. Children are often able to have a free breakfast or lunch at their school, and in the summer can participate in different programs. So some felt that it would be okay if you are at an event where a meal is served to eat the meal. Others felt that that defeated the purpose of participating. After all, if you are going to experience hunger shouldn't you, well, be hungry?

what a lovely brunch, don't you agree?

In addition, many of my friends know that I ran a mini-marathon this past weekend and as a result need to be in recovery mode. This means after not being able to navigate stairs or really walk for the last two days, yesterday was the first day I was able to really move. So I walked just over 6 miles. That takes energy. Energy that I don't have. Energy that the brunch which was put in front of me would have most certainly provided.

So, again,

• if you are offered the food but didn't pay for it out of your budget is it okay to eat? 

I mean, who would know if I ate the brunch? No one at the event knew me and knew that I was participating. I could have eaten the yogurt parfait, the quiche, the hash browns. Had not one, but two, cups of coffee. Sipped some orange juice. Right? But I would know, wouldn't I? I would know and have to admit to it, because if you are going to talk the talk you should walk the walk.

And here in Louisville it's Derby Week. So everyone I know is headed to "food related" events. And posting photos all over their social media. Of the Indian Fry Bread they ate at the "Chow Wagons" (really, we have a whole section of the city designated to food carts, you buy a "Pegasus Pin" which is entry into the event, then have to spend additional money on food...the purchase of the pin alone would leave you with only $2.50 to spend for the week...on food), of the yogurt they stopped to purchase on their way home, of the big bowl of clams they had while on vacation. Perhaps because of my own meal I am more sensitive or aware of their "food porn" (as it's called on instagram), but aware I am. 

Day 2 dinner: rice & beans, again

So as I go into Day 3 of "live below the line" I've always known we are a consumer culture, of things, of stuff, of food, but perhaps I wasn't really aware of just how much food is just...everywhere. 

So...I didn't eat the brunch. And I actually felt guilty for wasting that plate of food. And for the additional waste of food at all the settings that were empty because conference attendees had already departed from the event. Guilty because I looked around that room and thought of how many families would have loved to have had a chance to say:

• yes, if you are offered the food but didn't pay for it out of your budget, it IS okay to eat. 

But now I have to ask the question...what happened to the food that wasn't eaten? I'm afraid I know the answer to that question...and so do you.

Beans and Rice, Not So Nice

I am cranky. I have a headache and I feel slightly dizzy. I can hear my stomach growling. I am tired. 

And it's all by choice. 

Why? Because 46.2 million people in the United States in who are in poverty experience this on a daily basis.  They "Live Below the Line" not by choice but because of situations and circumstance.  

Could you live off of $1.50 a day? And that $1.50 doesn't always just cover food, but it sometimes has to be portioned for shelter, clothing, and other essentials. 47 million Americans, half of them children, rely on SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) each month. Seven days of below the line eating represents just 34% of the $33.34 per person per week that SNAP recipients receive. 

My pantry has five different types of chips, four different kinds of cereal, dried fruit, applesauce, multiple boxes of mac-n-cheese, and...well, food. Lots of food. My refrigerator is fully stocked with soy milk, skim milk, cheese, yogurt, lunch meats, and fresh vegetables. On my kitchen counter is a bowl of regular oranges and a bowl of "cuties." 

And while my children may upon occasion say "there's nothing to eat" the truth is we may just be temporarily out of which ever snack food they are craving, and I give no second thoughts to running to the grocery store and picking up the requested item as soon as I'm able. 

But there are just over 12,000 students in my children's school district who are officially homeless. They don't have a pantry full of food, or the option of having someone run to the grocery store just because they make some noise. 

They go to school cranky. They have headaches and feel slightly dizzy. They can hear their stomach growl. They are tired. 

And it isn't by choice.

Dinner Day 1: beans and rice

It is because their meal was a bowl of rice and beans. Maybe less than a cup. For some, breakfast and lunch were provided by their school. For their younger siblings at home, maybe breakfast was half a banana. A small cup of milk. And lunch. Perhaps some ramen soup. 

Because poverty for a family of four in America is living off of $23,550 a year.

Because poverty in America isn't other. It's the child sitting next to your child in school. It's the woman pushing her grocery cart down the aisle, counting pennies and coupons. It's your neighbor, the person who works at the library, it's the person who sits next to you in church. 

Poverty is $1.50 a day, every day. 

We have the power to change this. Not just by going hungry for a week. That's really the easy part. Because next Monday I can go back to my regular diet. Next Monday I'll live above the line. But what's harder is remaining engaged to change this after the week is up. Because being an active advocate means more than posting a blog about the bowl of lentils you ate, it means picking up the phone and asking elected officials to do something about it. 

It means telling our elected officials that the nearly 1 in 4 children in the U.S. (22.4 percent, 16.6 million children) who are at risk of going to be hungry tonight is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE and they can do something to change that. And we need to keep demanding that they do until they do, then we need to demand them to continue to do more. 

I do this through my work with RESULTS as a grassroots poverty expansion associate helping others organize to speak to elected officials, write letters to the editor, make others in their community aware of the issues. You can do this by responding to action alerts and joining others in their efforts. 

The point is, when the week is over don't let it just be a week that was, make sure that it is a week that won't ever be for anyone else either. 

Every Child Should Have a Shot@Life

I am not a birthday person. While I certainly feel it is important to recognize and acknowledge someone on their "day of all days" I also believe it is essential we honor people in our lives who make a difference on a daily basis. But others I know spend hours culling celebration ideas off of Pinterest and send out perfect party invitations and create fantastical and memorable events that often become legendary. 

Author and Champion Advocate, Lois Alter Mark

And while I may not be a fan of the fanfare made on my behalf, I do love a good party, especially when it's for a good cause. Because the real point of gathering together for the party is the milestone that the party signifies. And what a milestone we are celebrating this World Immunization Week. This year Shot@Life celebrates it's first birthday. A milestone by any measure and one that Shot@Life works hard to ensure for the children of the world through global vaccination efforts and advocacy. 

I'm fortunate that as a Shot@Life champion I get to share in the celebration with incredible other champions, like my friend Lois Alter Mark. Lois and I spent a couple of days recently emailing each other back and forth and sharing stories about why we advocate for how essential global vaccinations are and why, now more that ever, we must continue to share in the milestones and make room for the rest that are yet to come. 

Myrdin: I, personally, find that there are a plethora of causes in this world that attract a the famous (and sometimes infamous) but don't have the depth they need to make significant impact. I asked Lois how "in a world where there seems to be a long enticing list of a 'cause du jour,' (many of which have flashy celebrity endorsements and support), what was it about Shot@Life that connected with you and made you believe that this is THE cause, not just a one and done?"

Lois: A few things. First of all, it’s about kids. How can you learn a fact like every 20 seconds a child dies from a PREVENTABLE disease and not take action? Second, we’re almost there already! With only three countries left to go, we are so close to eradicating polio. That’s amazing, and it would be a shame not to just finish the job. Third, it’s so easy to make a difference. You can fundraise or donate money, put on events, raise awareness by writing articles or sharing information through social media, get others involved as champions, advocate with government officials in person and through letters. If everyone did just one of those things, it would be huge.

Myrdin: your blog encourages and supports women to (in the purest sense) to find their voice and speak their truth. But even those of us who encourage others to speak loud sometimes hesitate in our own way. What part of advocacy are you most comfortable with and what are you going to challenge yourself to do as a champion in the year ahead?

Lois: I’m very comfortable behind the computer, writing articles and sharing information through social media. I’m not as comfortable getting up and speaking in front of groups. I think, as a champion, I will challenge myself with bigger goals in those areas I’m comfortable with because I know I’m more effective that way. For example, I was one of the top champions to sign up new Shot@Life supporters, so I think it’s best for everyone if I stick to the things I’m good at rather than give some awkward speech somewhere!

Myrdin: how did you learn about Shot@Life and in what way did you participate as a champion before being officially named as a champion? In addition, what were some misconceptions you might have had about global vaccinations and what have you learned? 

Lois: I learned about Shot@Life at BlogHer last summer. Before being named a champion, I signed a lot of petitions and wrote letters. I’d had no idea how many children were dying from preventable diseases and how to change that. Now that I know, I want to help make everyone else aware of the facts. I truly believe the more people understand, the more that will get involved and help give children a shot at life.

Myrdin: as we discussed I have a few personal "mottoes," quotes that inspire and help guide me. What quote (or quotes) inspire you as you travel on your path to personal fulfillment? Do you have a "mission statement"? If yes, how does your work as a champion compliment your personal passion? 

Lois: Well, the quote I live by right now, for better or worse, is “Done is better than perfect.” Okay, it may not sound like the most inspiring advice but it actually is life-changing. I could sit around forever, trying to find the exact word to use in an article, or the perfect picture to illustrate it, but you know what? No one cares about those things. It’s more important to just get the message out there. Along those same lines, my mission statement can be summed up in my word for 2013 which is “do.” I wrote a post about it when the year started (which you can read here), and it has totally pushed me to just keep doing instead of thinking and re-thinking and refining and waiting. It sounds obvious but the only way to get something done is to actually do it!

Myrdin: while in DC we had the chance to visit our elected officials to discuss the importance of continued support of global vax initiatives. Was that the first time you've visited your elected leaders? If yes, what did you find surprising as well as what were you not inspired by?

Lois: Yes, this was the first time although, like I’ve said, I’ve signed tons of petitions and written dozens of letters. Meeting with our representatives on Capitol Hill was a great experience because we were thrown right in and had to know enough to be articulate and answer questions. We met with four California Democrats so it was pretty much a love fest but I was impressed by the real interest and respect the reps showed us, and the time they take to understand the subject matter and to learn why it’s important to their constituents. I actually wrote about my experience for Huffington Post to help spread the word.

Myrdin: Finally, we activists rarely get "down" time, but when you do, what do you do to de-compress? 

Lois: I’m writing or researching for my blog, StyleSubstanceSoul.com, most of the time – or else I’m watching movies and DVDs for my other job as Flicks for Kids editor at NickJr.com. Luckily, all of that is so much fun, it never seems like work!

I'm thankful that Lois was able to share some of her time with me as it is apparent she has quite the busy life. But no matter how busy we are, we can stop and take a pause to celebrate those major, and minor, milestones, to take leaps of faith, and to do our best to make the world a place full of celebration.

Lois and I, along with the other champions, know that it's the "power of we, not the me" that is being celebrated this week. Because every child should have a shot at a "day of all days," and the chance to have Birthday wishes come true.


PS. Lois wrote about my Shot@Life reflections on her blog Style, Substance, Soul , so please take a look, you know, as an early birthday present to me! And for more posts from other Champions, please follow Shot@Life Birthday Bash Storify page for links and updates. 

Save it for Later...

There are no four letters that I think less of than these: ttyl. 

Actually, I also don't like when those letters are changed to read: ttys, the "s" standing for "soon."

Because the truth is...later or soon rarely happens. This is a throw away tag at the end of an email or message which implies future conversation but does not actually commit to a future conversation. The vagueness of "later" or "soon" allows the person writing those words to feel free to define them as their schedule permits, giving little to no regard as to how the person reading those letters or words might actually feel. It is the easy way out and a lazy habit. It makes the sender feel as if they have put forth an effort when actually they don't plan on making any effort. And to top it all off, they add a smiley face emoticon.

Really?

And because I actually think that ttyl means just that, later, I find myself glancing at my phone or checking my emails far too often...thinking that this moment, this very moment I look, I will find that text, or direct message, or email...only to find that, yet again, I am being asked to "save it for later."

Why? 

Why should I have to compromise or redefine what communication means to me because we, as a culture, have become insensitive to others? Why is it okay to devalue someone's time because you don't want to make time or give time to them? When did it become socially acceptable to not answer emails, or voice mails, or really anything, and apologize with a hastily put together text that lists all the things the other person has been doing and ends with, yes, you guessed it, "ttyl :-)"

Again?

I have frequently been told that I am too demanding of people, that people are busier than ever before with a long laundry list of commitments and responsibilities, and I should "relax." I have been told that I am too sensitive. That I wear my heart on my sleeve. That I just need to "chill" and shouldn't expect too much of others. I have been told that I shouldn't take the lack of respectful communication "personally" because "it isn't personal."

And here's what I have to say to all of that:

Balderdash. 

Because communication, whether of a business nature, or friendship, is...personal. It is personal TO ME as I am the person being communicated with, or in this case, not being communicated with. Because life isn't about the things we have, or the job we do, it is about the relationships we are in. And unless you have decided to trek to the top of a mountain and live as a hermit, you are a part of other people's lives. People who might get tired hanging on the telephone, so to speak. 

Yes I am sensitive. And I will continue to wear my heart on my sleeve. That sensitivity to the circumstances of others is what drives the work I do as an advocate and how I navigate my days as a person on this planet. I have spent the better part of twenty years working with volunteers in some capacity and I know that our time is valuable. That we are only given so much time in a day in which we have to navigate a finite (or for some infinite) list of "things to do." Our daily routine might often be created by the perimeters of the job which we have and the task list presented to us by our boss. Within the hours of our day we must also practice some personal self care, exercise, eat, shower, drink coffee, breath. 

But within the timeline of our day, we also make time to tweet about our lunch or an article we read. We make time to take a photo of our cats and post it to Instagram. We make time to craft a witty status update for our social media sites to let everyone know...how busy we are. 

Because we will "save it for later." And unfortunately we find all to frequently that our intent to do that "later today" often turns into "tomorrow" which morphs into "soon" and then fades away into "never."

Let me also emphasize here that liking a status update or an instragm photo or liking (or re-tweeting) a tweet is an appreciated gesture of connectivity, it isn't actually connecting. It certainly is a step in the right direction (acknowledging the presence of others in your life) but it isn't the same as actually saying hello to that person. 

We post memes of quotes which talk about compassion, kindness, consideration, connectivity. Quotes that emphasize that we must "sieze the day," "live in the moment," "celebrate the wow of the now," and then we fail to do just that. We talk the talk but we don't walk the walk. 

I am not a person who does anything by halves, not work, and certainly not relationships. And when I tell someone I will talk to them at another point in time, I actually do that. And my later isn't measured by a clock but by the value that I believe the other person brings to my life. Because "if it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse." No one ever should be made to feel that they are an obligation. When we don't let the people who are important to us know they have significance, they will soon feel that they are, in fact, insignificant to you. And when you feel insignificant, which is a personal feeling, you then decide that later actually means never which really means...goodbye. 

Eventually we get back what we send out. When we spend most of our time apologizing for not sharing our time with someone, we find they no longer have time for us. When we don't reply to emails we no longer find emails from that person. No big scenes, no drama, just a slow, sad fade to black. Sure, for some, there will a shrug of the shoulders and a philosophy of "we'll cycle back to each other one day." Others will become defense and point fingers at the other person for being "too needy" or "too demanding" devaluing the importance of the relationship. 

If you say it, mean it. 
If you mean it, do it. 
If you don't want to do it, don't say it. 
And if you did say it and didn't do it, apologize for it. 

Because, as Catherine Gilbert Murdock points out, "when you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said."

Possibility and Promise

March 8, 2013. International Day of the Woman. A day set aside to celebrate...me. As well as my sisters, the women of the world. We celebrated the daughters, the mothers, the aunts, the grandmothers. We celebrated those that hold half the sky.

But as we celebrated by sharing tweets and Facebook posts, memes and memories, shout outs and songs, we also celebrated with a heavy heart. Because only some of us had the freedom to celebrate. Only some of us actually knew that there is a day set aside for celebrate. Only some of us are given enough love, care, respect, and education to feel strong enough to hold half the sky.

So today, as I think about what it means to be a woman in today's world, I can only frame my answer in this context; "what does it mean for her?":

i carry her heart in my heart

To be her means not worrying about getting an education. In fact, many, if not all, of the adults in her life and in her community, have healthy dialogues and discussions about what her educational experience should look like. They endlessly discuss:

• Should she use an iPad or smart phone instead of textbooks? 
• Should she be in gifted classes or be with her peers but have some accelerated learning? 
• Should she have access to a salad bar at school? 

to name just a few. In fact, my twitter and Facebook feeds are filled with groups celebrating all the educational advances and opportunities she and her peers (for the most part) have. But girls her age in many other countries and cultures don't even have access to school, much less have a community which even considers these as topics of debates. Because girls don't go to school. Period. We know that girls are marginalized, mistreated, and viewed as second class citizens, if they are viewed at all. And these neglected and often abused girls, grow up to be women, who often become mothers at an incredibly young age, who raise their daughter's in a world that sees little if any value in them.

My daughter? My daughter wants to grow up to be the President of the United States. Or an artist. Or a writer. Or...any number of options which change depending on her mood. And she is valued and encouraged to strive to reach any goal she sees in her future.

I was fortunate to be able to attend an event where Riffat Hassan was a keynote and speaking about how she was a professor by profession but an activist by choice. As she reflected upon her time as a young girl growing up in Pakistan and spoke also about a culture which believes that girls and women should not receive an education (citing the recent shooting of student activist Malala Yousafzai), she also spoke about hope that through training opportunities for women (which are growing in popularity) and the continued, collective of advocates who speak out for these women (since they have no voice of their own), will help create laws will which might actually have greater value and weight.

She posed a rhetorical question at the end of her keynote, which definitely resonated with many in the audience: "What is my responsibility?"

Because here I am, in a place where

• women's rights, while often debated, are most definitely secure;
• I have access to health care and medical treatment, for any ailment, real or imagined;
• I can write a blog voicing my opinion on any subject matter I wish, without fear of physical harm or arrest (and yes, I understand that some subject matter might create that vortex, but typically I, like so many other women, can speak our truths);
• I can run for office, debate about the merits of the candidates running for office, vote, or choose not to vote. 

Because I am a daughter, a mother, a sister, an aunt.

Because I am a woman, I have a responsibility.

And here it is, the Monday after International Women's Day, and much like what occurred after International Day of the Girl...some of us have moved on to the next cause or issue. But to me, all the issues are connected.

It isn't just about my daughter, it's about my sons as well. It's about supporting causes we believe in, and advocating for them (we can do this by writing a blog, sharing information about the UN Foundation Global Mom Relay, where, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Johnson & Johnson, for each link to a post, $5 will be donated to one of four initiatives that are helping women and children lead healthy and happy lives-Girl Up, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA), and the cause closest to my heart, Shot@Life). It's about stepping out for them when you step out (you can do this by downloading the Charity Miles app. For every mile you walk, run, or bike, a donation is made to a cause you support, and there are several to choose from). It's about playing an online game via Half the Sky which helps support a variety of initiatives. It's about supporting RESULTS and their efforts to eliminate TB and help families struggling with poverty. It's about attending a screening of 10x10act's film "Girls Rising."

It's about doing all that, and then even more. Because we advocating for a cause when there is no applause.

Finally, it's about knowing that every child, every where, deserves the very best we adults have to give. Because all the girls of the world should be able to turn their childhood dreams into adult realities. To have possibility be a promise made and kept.

Because we carry their hearts in our heart.