About 30 years ago I moved to this beautiful beach town in South Florida to start a new life. I grew up as Staff Sargent’s daughter in USAF and had been living from the age of 13 to 23 in Arkansas.  At the ripe old age of 23 I had already been to over half of the states in the US  and had lived in  England.  I realized  I had been to  and seen more than most of the people I had encountered.  It was time to settle and make a home in a community I loved.   I came to Fort Lauderdale for a new beginning, not running away from  anything, just a new beginning.   This is not the easiest of towns for a “have not”.

 

Along the way my  I met Linda.   We had become the best of friends.  She was the wife of my then boss.   She did not have to work and had plenty of time on her hands.  She taught aerobics, had adorable children and dogs.  Linda is intelligent, generous and kind.  I felt she was like a big sister to me.     One day she said to me ” I want to get involved in a charity, what do you think Jul?”   We  joined a local radio star, Rick Shaw ,  and few others at Bobby Rubino’ s and I went to my very first organized charity meeting . The charity was called “Kids in Distress”.   I do not even remember the exact reason why  we were raising money,  I just knew I like  being in the “vibe” of these people.  There was a total  feeling of optimism.  Working together to help some kids that  we would probably never even meet. .  Wow at 25 I thought this was so cool.  This began my journey in volunteering.   There is something about helping others that changes your soul.   It creates a connection to something bigger than your immediate centers of influence.  Being a volunteer is a way of showing the world that you care more than just about yourself.   The crazy thing is it “feels”  so good.  Why don’t more people do it?  You do not have to belong to a church to get involved in giving back .  There are non profits for every single passion out there!!!   I wish we could start a movement to promote volunteerism in America today. Children’s charities are my passion.  All kids deserve a chance at a great life.

Studies have shown altruism is making a comeback.  Millennials want more than a paycheck, they want a purpose.  Hooray!!  I love this.   More than a paycheck… What a concept??.   I feel in an abundant society people loose their way and give up.   So not cool.  Same thing with giving  our kids everything and then expecting them to get excited about working and finding a job.  Ain’t so easy!   The reason Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life” was a number one best seller is because the message resonated with tons of  people. All the ancient wisdom’s tells us over and over again…  give,  be kind, be generous with your love.   So what happens to us when we give??  We get way more than we ever knew possible.  I will share with you a personal experience that continually reminds me to be humble and giving.

 

About ten years ago I was standing on my back deck and talking to one the guys who was doing yard work at my house.   He looked distraught and I could see the pain in his eyes.  Something tugged at me.  The pain was tangible.   I remember thinking I have to talk to him.  So I went and got a bunch of bottled water and started to hand it out.    When I got to Jose I made small talk about the temperature outside and then I just looked at him and said, “are you okay?”  His reply,  “no, our boss just told us he is cutting our pay.”  Gas prices had just gone up and the bosses solution was to cut his workers play.   Somehow I knew there was more.  Me being me.. said “and what else??”  He then told me he knew his boss was out there bidding on more jobs and growing his business at the expense of his employees. He knew that majority of his workers, if not all, were trying to become citizens and he was just making it hard on them.  Then Jose told me something that rocked me to my core.  His little boy Elmer was in the hospital and they believed that he had Muscular Dystrophey.    Jose had to get back to work, he had finished his bottle of water and the other workers were looking at him.  His eyes were misty as he told me about his son.  As a mother,  my heart ached.   As someone who wrote the check to landscape company every month I was furious.  Hell hath no fury like a WOMAN.   As my friends say.. DON’T MESS WITH MAMMACITA.  If you know me,  you know I am a champion for the underdog.   I just want to help.  How can I fix this ??? Always the question for me, I have to try, I have to give.

 

That following Monday I go to my office and my beautiful assistant and I have our usual catch up..” how was your weekend conversation.?”   I loved Arlie.  Always positive and a radiant smile.  She was there for more than she will ever know.    So I tell her the story of Jose.     Later that day I had an idea.   What would it take for Jose to start his own business? A cell phone, a lawn mower and trimmer.  WOW… hold your tickets folks I think we have a bingo.   OMG.. the feeling of maybe being able to help this man overwhelmed me with Joy. It gets  better … I run it by Arlie.   What do you think?? She said I can design the flier.  🙂

Now to convince Jose.   Of course I don’ t have a phone number to reach him.  I have to wait for him to come back to my house.  I have to be home and catch him during that 10 or 15 minutes that he is going to be there.   Lucky for me I was home.  So I explain to him  I will get you the phone and the things you need to get started.   You have to trust that it will work out.   You can not stay and work for this man.  You must have the faith and the belief in yourself that this will all work out.  I believe you and your willingness to work.  I know you love your family… I can see it in your eyes.   His answer “are you serious?”   My answer is “what is the worst thing that can happen?” ”  You will always be able to find another job working for someone else. ”   He does it!  He goes and gets the cell phone.  I do not think it is even a coincidence that the last four digits of his new cell phone number are my birthday.  GODWINK..  heck yeah!!  That wink from God/Universe told me this was all going to work out.

It is our purpose to see the greatness in others and point it out to them.

There is something about the human spirit that connects us.  It is more powerful than we realize. When we go out of our way to help someone it creates its own energy.  My story of Jose is one of the smallest “investments”  I have ever made.  It has filled my emotional bank account to the top.  When I see his trucks in my neighborhood I smile.  When I get a chance to talk to him and see the light in his eyes and the pride in his achievement , it fills me.  It has been ten years since Jose started his business.   He never once asked me for anything.  This is so important.  This story is not about me in anyway.  He now has many trucks, paid off a house and had two more sons.   We spoke yesterday for the first time in a while.  He told me his daughter is number one in her school and highly ranked in the state.     I told him how proud I am of him and he told me he was proud of me too.    Everyone on this planet has a purpose.  The old saying treat the janitor with the same respect you treat the CEO rings true here.   Jose is now the CEO. When we honor the spirit of every single person we encounter, we honor ourselves.  You matter, I matter.  You never know what someone else is going through.  It could be possible  that someone you barely know is just waiting for someone like you to show up in their life.   Pay it forward.  It will reward you in ways that can open your heart  and remind you of your purpose.

 

 

 

 

Who is better than you???  NOBODY!!!