Today I received a very sweet email from my dear friend Meagan and I felt compelled to post it here in my blog today. May we never forget the importance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s words and what he stood for in this world. I feel blessed to have friends that remind me of just that everyday. Thank you Meagan for this email.
Dear Friends and Family,
Today is for remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr. For some of us, that means a three day weekend. For others, like myself, it is another day at work. As I read the morning paper, I could not help but be overwhelmed by the situation in Haiti. The Pan American Health Organization estimates that between 50,000 to 100,000 people died during the earthquake on January 12th that reached a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale. This number does not include individuals who were injured, or individuals who are still missing. Those who survived are living outside for fear of being in a building that might collapse. Desperation runs rampant as riots continue. In summary, the situation is bad.
As I learn more about what is going on in Haiti, I think back on my years at Carolina Friends School. Each year we celebrated MLK Jr. Day and his vision of creating a powerful social force based on love and compassion for our fellow man. For me, the basic message was to stand up for a cause that you believed in.
Today, we recognize the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.; looking at how far we have come and how far we still have to go in this country. But it is also a time to look at which causes are important to us, and for which we want to make a stand.
I have chosen to make a small donation to the American Red Cross for disaster relief in Haiti. And I want to urge you to consider making a donation (either monetary or volunteering time at your local Red Cross). Part of me hates to be that person who is asking others to give. However, I feel compelled to do something, and the more donations received the bigger the impact. Although we all struggle from time to time, our lives are truly blessed.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this email. And I thank you in advance for considering the situation in Haiti.
With love and compassion,
Meagan
I loved this email too! And I wrote her back immediately after recieving it. Good job Leah! :) Miss you! Let's catch up tonight!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice e-mail and a great reminder of those heroes before us and the heroes within us. Thank you for sharing this. xoxo
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