blogs

I was involved in a couple of things recently that got me thinking about the bigger picture. I know I'm not alone in this; my friend Melissa blogged about it earlier this year (see what she wrote here: http://www.modmomsclub.com/content/supporting-important-causes). She makes a very good point about setting a good example for your kids.

This hit home for me when I attended a funeral for my friend's dad, who died unexpectedly. It was a hefty drive to get there, but I was so glad I did it - for my friend, who was obviously in pain. But also because it was an honor to hear about this man and what he did for others in his community. I knew he was a pretty cool guy, but I had no idea his list of accomplishments: he served his church, the local  hospital and even the court system. Oh, and he went to Africa to help build a village.

A few days later, I went to a much happier event - Fava Bean Day. And I met Joe Fagundes, who started this dinner on kind of a lark 17 years ago and has turned it into a major fund-raiser for families of children who have cancer.

My parents certainly set a good example for me. They have both volunteered through the church, and various service organizations, and I can remember them doubling up our holiday dinners and delivering one to a homeless shelter.

This all leads me, as does everything these days, to Nicholas. And what does he see me do? Run the occasional 5K fund-raiser; leave canned goods out for the postal carriers' drive; give money at Salvation Army kettles during the holidays. Certainly not enough, and not anything that takes any real effort on my part. Sure, I'm busy. But so was Mr. Reed. And so is Mr. Fagundes. And my folks. And most people who do a lot of good.

So Nicholas is going to see a change in his mom. It started with a call to the Stanislaus County library to volunteer for their book delivery service. This is still probably selfish; I love talking books with anybody. But it's a step. And there will be more.