Reason-able Respect

Facebook is a wonderful tool to support a cause, follow a passion, enlighten or inform others, and to open the eyes and minds of folks. It really shouldn't be used, however, to batter or belittle.

I've had a fairly full and interesting life. My grandparents on my mom's side have passed away - most probably to heart issues. My mother battled breast and bone cancer, lung issues, and more . . . and lost. My beautiful great niece, Julia, died of SIDS - or so the findings say. My father-in-law had Alzheimers that just ravaged him. One dad was an alcoholic, another had some sort of cancer, and the third had a bone disease. I had a beautiful, generous soul of a friend who was senselessly killed on his motorcycle. I have many friends with children with Autism. I have a friend whose child has OsteoGenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease). I've listened to the cries and screams of parents in a hospital dealing with their children in the Oncology ward. I've dealt with Diabetes, Epilepsy, Crohn's Disease, and more. I've had extensive opportunity to learn about Scoliosis with my niece -  who had two surgeries, my daughter - who was spared surgery, and myself. I've also met evil head on with Dermatomyositis - the life-threatening auto-immune disease my son has battled.

My point is this . . . I could cheer and root and rant about any of these; or all of these. I have chosen to focus on a hospital that dedicates its services to children and ALL of their ailments; and a local organization that grants the dreams of seriously or terminally ill children just to give them a chance to divert their attention and enjoy themselves ~ if only briefly.

My charities are not better than yours. My passions are not greater than yours. But, boy howdy, they are my passions. I live, eat, breathe these passions.

I am certain that your passions are intense and motivated by personal issues also. That is what fuels us; what drives us; what allows us to take that next step. I'm not asking you to give up your passions or what motivates you. I'm asking you to simply be aware of ANOTHER opportunity to help. If you are moved to assist me in my passions, then I am ecstatic. If you choose, instead, to focus on your own plight then I hope I am able to assist you at some point, in some manner, for some good.

We must learn to Respect the Reasons we do what we each do. There is great reason, great energy, and great need for all sorts of folks to fight all sorts of battles. In educating and sharing with one another, we can make a difference.