Sublime Ramblings

The other evening I had just finished sending out this year’s charitable contributions and was feeling pretty good about my choices.

I settled down to watch a little basketball and saw that they were broadcasting Jimmy Valvano’s 1993 ESPY speech. Since I had seen it before, I didn’t expect the emotion to pour out of me. But pour it did. My heart was aching and I was trying to fight back the tears. Then he told the story about when he had to give a pep talk to his team for the first time. And I laughed.

Then he spoke about what he wished for us. “To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get your emotions going.” In the few short minutes of his speech, I realized that I had done just that. I had just received a beautiful gift from this beautiful human being that I would have the rest of my life.

Shortly before his death from bone cancer, Jimmy V founded the The V Foundation, for cancer research. It was too late to save his own life, but his hope was to advance research of all cancers and find the cure to save others.

I have added a new charity to my list and I ask that you consider this one too.

By making a donation to the The V Foundation, you keep Jimmy’s dream and his spirit alive.

Jimmy V

“Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up!”

As we move towards the holiest of days, I am reminded of all those in need. We give to the poor, the homeless, the children, the elderly and we give from the heart. But are we forgetting anyone?

We’re forgetting the ones who can’t ask for our help. We’re forgetting the neglected, abused and abandoned animals who depend on us in faithful silence to come to their rescue.

Please consider a donation to your local (no-kill) shelter or a national charity.

Here’s two to visit:

ASPCA

Dogtown USA (Best Friends Animal Society)

“If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”–Will Rogers

From the heart, give whatever you can. God will bless you.