by Deborah Dachinger

www.DeborahDachinger.com 

Always wanted to do a marathon but was afraid.  Had no idea how.  Had lots of reasons why it was a crazy idea at the time.  But my insides knew I really wanted to experience a marathon — the desire was there.

I was thinking I was nuts.  Thought I wasn’t enough.  In so many regards.  I had every reason why not to attempt doing a marathon.  And not knowing how to achieve this dream, I called the L.A Marathon office and told them what I wanted and that I didn’t know how to accomplish it.  They told me there was a runner’s group that met at the L.A. Police Academy every Tuesday night to train and another group called the Roadrunners to train in Venice on Saturdays.  I hung up the phone, amazed those things existed. When Tuesday rolled around I did not want to go to the marathon training.  I was scared.  About to completely let the idea go when I begged myself to just please go to the training once.  Just once and if you hate it I promise you never have to go again.  Like a parent might say to a child to help them get past their fear ~ this was how I spoke to myself.  Do this, go just this once please, and then you get to decide if this is something you want to keep doing.  So I acquiesced.  I went to a marathon practice at the Police Academy for the first time and I was hooked.  The training was all that and more.  Getting over that hump of resistance was key for me.  I then trained for 8 months and completed my first marathon.  Completing the marathon taught me that I am limitless and I truly can do anything I decide to do.

Best yet was the next year, when a friend convinced me to do the L.A. Marathon - again.  I didn’t want to do the marathon a 2nd time but I really liked hanging out with her and decided to train again with her.  Half way through training (4 months in) she dropped out.  I was lost.  I lost my training partner, my conversation person, my commuter ride, my reason to be doing a marathon.  So I went inside myself because I knew I needed a new goal if I were to continue.  I decided that since it was my 2nd marathon I’d set a goal for a new finish time for myself.  I wanted to shave 30 minutes off my finish time.  Marathoners know - that’s a lot of time to cut down.  Still that was my goal.  To accomplish that, I made friends with the fastest woman in our Saturday training group, she was a robot.  She never missed a beat.  I kept consistent pace with her.  I was always fast and strong and pace wise inconsistent, but she was like a metronome and that was great structure for me.

Two weeks before the marathon I took a bath every night and while bathing would close my eyes and imagine myself crossing the finish line, seeing the time in lights at 30 minutes under my previous year’s time.  Then I’d picture the crowd and imagine the joy and elation I felt.  That was my meditation for 2 weeks before the race.

The day of the marathon came.  My “robot” partner and I did well throughout the long day and all the miles.  Around Mile 20 she started to lag - and I bolted forward. Inexplicably I get stronger towards the end of a marathon, as opposed to most people who are exhausted and oftentimes struggling, in those last 6 miles something happens energetically inside of me.  My buddy, the “robot” could see that I was ready to take off while she had a physical need to slow down in order to make it to the end.  She told me to go for it, to forge ahead on my own and finish the marathon.  My feet kept going faster and faster towards the end.

A marathon is 26.2 miles.  I knew at Mile 25 I was still doing well.  It was a conundrum.  Here I was strong and moving and although glad for that fact, I was sad that none of my friends would know to be at the finish line earlier than expected – they all knew my finish time from the previous year and they’d miss the conclusion of my race this year; they’d be there too late.

I came up the hill around the corner at the very last bend of the marathon.  I was running, I was happy - the end had finally come.

And in that thick huge crowd I heard my name called out.  For some amazing reason, there was my mother, right there at the final bend, watching me finish. My mother had somehow intuited that I would do well, that I’d come in earlier than expected.  I don’t know how she knew but she did.  And that meant everything to me - to have a witness to my moment. I was yelling as I came around the corner and saw her there.

I crossed the 26.2 mile finish line and burst into tears.  The volunteers came to take the chip off my running shoe and they were concerned I might be injured because of my crying.  But I was not hurt - I was happy.  I was amazed, thrilled, and shocked.  As I came through the finish line I looked up at the lit numbers, just as I had in all my meditations — to see that I had taken one full hour off the finish time of my 2nd marathon.  I’d surpassed the 30 minutes I’d hoped for and came through the finish line minus 60 minutes under my 1st marathon time.  That’s why I was crying; I was blown away by what I had committed to and created.

The power of dreams and the force of making them come true is humbling and informing of our greatness.   We are so much bigger than we give ourselves credit for.

Deborah Dachinger hosts the weekly inspirational “Dare to Dream” radio show which hosts interviews with intriguing guests who fulfill their dream and purpose.  “Dare to Dream” is on 99.3 KCLA FM, in Los Angeles, California, and is considered one of the most popular American Radio Network shows on air today.  She can be reached through her website at www.DeborahDachinger.com

by Gayle Etcheverry

Ryan “Brown” Dalton has dedicated his life to helping children living on the streets.  He began working with children in the projects of his hometown of Cookerville, Tennessee, and for the past 8 years has been in Cape Town, South Africa.  Homelessness regarding children is occurring in too many places in the world and Brown is standing up for them.  This November 25th, he will go and live on the streets in Cape Town to raise awareness about this serious epidemic.

Brown describes himself to be a small, white, American guy – who also happens to be a child activist, social worker and a rapper.  He uses his degrees in social work & social development, music and media outlets to help bring change and awareness to the homeless youth of Cape Town.

In a few weeks, Brown will live for 16 days on the streets with no money or cell phone and will rely on handouts and live just like the children of the streets do.  He describes his intentions as, “A calling for more structures of support (for youth) to be built up in our communities, a revival of the educational system in impoverished communities, and a general awakening of society to see that these are OUR children and we have the responsibility to look after them.”

The fact that children are ‘allowed’ to make the choice to live on the streets frustrates him deeply.  Brown explains, “A child should not be given a decision to make that he or she is not mature enough to make. That is why we have ages of consent for things such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, voting, sex, and so on. However, by “allowing” children to live on the street, we are allowing them to forfeit each and every right the constitution lays out for them.”

With the upcoming 2010 Soccer/Football World Cup Series, there is looming pressure for South Africa to “clean up the streets”.  Brown prays the focus be on the best interests of their children rather than that of business and tourism.

To stay connected with the world and to help get his message out he will maintain a blog (trying his best to post daily) by using a prepaid internet account at an internet café in town.  You can stay up to date with his adventures at http://365daysofactivism.blogspot.com

So from November 25th to December 10th, Brown will live on the streets.  He hopes to inspire and empower other individuals, to choose to make a difference wherever they can in the world.  He also hopes that this will create a ripple effect and encourages others to spread the word about these “16 days”.

Brown, our hats are off to you and this incredible journey you are about to take.  You are truly someone who is doing extraordinary things for humanity and for that we are grateful.

God bless you and God Bless Humanity!
To learn more about Brown please check him out on myspace and at his blog 

by Gayle Etcheverry

www.NinetyNineBalloons.com

Recently on the Oprah Winfrey Show, I watched a segment about Matt & Ginny Mooney and their baby boy, Eliot. I was so deeply moved by their inspiring story that I really felt drawn to share it with our readers here at GodBlessHumanity.com.

This story is filled with more unconditional love, grace, and joy beyond anything I’ve seen in a long time - especially within a 6 minute video!

You will quickly learn about the life of Eliot, a little boy born with Trisomy 18 - also called Edward’s Syndrome. He was not expected to live very long after birth, however he surprised everyone who knew him and filled their lives with much love and hope.
So please, I encourage you to click here and watch this beautiful video “To see God revealed in a child who never uttered a word” (as described by Matt Mooney in the video).

God Bless Humanity!

To learn more about Eliot’s story please go to the Mooney’s website at www.NinetyNineBalloons.com

by Glenn Brandon Burke, M.A.Ed

www.GlennBrandonBurke.com

Over the years my wife, Elaine, has accompanied me several times when I was giving a motivational lecture. Several months a go she was with me when I spoke at an incarceration facility, and following the engagement, she came to me and said, “I find it so amazing how you connect with people and truly change their lives – you give them hope, desire, and a new-found self respect.” She continued, “I want to do something that truly touches someone’s life so passionately that I know I made difference in their life.”

A milestone birthday was only a few months away for Elaine, and I asked her what she wanted? And this was the incredible, selfless response she gave.

“I have an awesome husband (yeah, baby, that’s me), two beautiful and soon to be successful daughter’s, my parent’s are alive, healthy and still married, we go to dinner whenever we want, and who needs another vacation!?! I want to do something for people that will make a difference in their lives.”

So, Elaine arranged through Southern Nevada’s Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, along with one of their directors, Courtney Frank, and they planned a party. But this party was for 12 special children at Snyder Elementary School, along with their Big Brothers and Big Sisters, also known simply as “Bigs.” Where the children are referred to as “Little’s” (something I thought was cool to know.)

This was not just any party, mind you. This party, though it was Elaine’s birthday, was to celebrate “life” with these children. Elaine and her girlfriends purchased books and other educational products as well as each child’s very own personalized birthday cake.

I had never seen 12 children smile so brightly and appreciatively as these 12 children. The way the children took to Elaine’s kindness, especially when she spent the afternoon helping with their homework and playing with their new gifts, one would’ve thought these children saw Elaine a famous actress.

Elaine wanted these children to have something they may not have available at home. She also wanted these children to know that even though one person doesn’t know another, it’s perfectly fine to help — to be kind to other people. To teach the children that they, too, can be in a position in life to “Pass it On” and make a difference in someone’s life was an amazing transformation. They thoroughly understood what she meant and from where she was coming.

Though Elaine has always been one to volunteer her time to worth while causes, I found this, her 50th birthday, to be one of the most selfless acts of kindness. And I love her more each day!

Even if you’re to give a smile to someone feeling down and out, we all have something to give. So please, give when and how you can. It truly does make a difference.
To learn more about Glenn Brandon Burke and his work please visit his website at www.GlennBrandonBurke.com

By Terri LeRose

www.seatedscribe.com

As a teenager I was beset with existential angst.  Why am I here?   Is there a god?   What is my purpose?   The kind of questions that needed long hours to ponder.   I found drawing gave me the time and space I needed to ruminate.   Throughout the years I maintained an interest in painting and drawing, but rarely a practice.  For many years I took classes, painted and drew during my free time.  One December, I made cards for holiday presents.  While painting I again found that space to ruminate, walk in another world, become lost in meditation.  I soon began to daydream about leaving my work to own a creative business, but the idea seemed daunting.  The opportunity came when I had my first child and decided to forego work to be at home.  Once settled into motherhood, I established The Seated Scribe and painted my first line of cards, Illuminated Manuscript, in the few hours I had to myself-during naps and at night.

I decided to feature designs from all over the world on my cards because I am intrigued by what design says about us, about the human experience.  I am also intrigued by other cultures and their beliefs.   The designs I paint are from textiles, ceramics and other relics because I find that artesania reveals the ideas a culture arranges itself around.  When researching my line of Moroccan embroidery designs I learned how embroidery was so coveted in Moroccan culture (because it decorated a barren, tiled room designed to keep its interior cool) that a young destitute woman in Morocco could better her life by becoming a master embroideress, thus making herself more marriageable and saving her family from abject poverty.  I recently researched and completed a line of Indian Textile design.  I learned that in India color was used to express mood; a love-sick woman would wear a certain shade of madder and a person who had taken a vow would wear another.

In reality my interest in design stems from that original existential adolescent angst.  Design shows our lives, our purpose, our loves, our hopes and fears and how they are the same as those of people in other cultures and centuries.  We are not so very different after all.  When I am working with a design from another culture, I see a puzzle.  I look for what the pattern says about the people who created it and their beliefs.  What do they believe about their purpose?  What is their human experience and what truth lies behind it? Perhaps seeing their world view will unlock a new understanding for me.

That existential angst still guides me today, but maturity has tempered it into a drive to understand.  I continue to be seduced by drawing and painting.  For me it is a place to seek and express truth and to bare witness to my days.  I try to both write and sketch daily. These days, I dream of working towards a more expressive art, something beyond my personal quest and something more public.  I want to illustrate children’s books.  For me, illustrating is in the same vein as design work, it is truth telling.  An illustrator must find the seed of truth and express it visually. Stepping in to the dream of becoming an illustrator is now as scary to me as owning a creative business once was.  That is how I know I am on the path towards my purpose, that fear indicates there is room for me to grow.

To learn more about Terri LeRose and her creations please visit her website at www.seatedscribe.com