What my Divas taught me about giving...

My Divas have taught me many lessons in life. They have taught me the world does not and will not revolve around me. They have taught me that schedules and precisely laid out plans mean absolutely nothing. They have taught me how to still love friends and family members that have hurt me. They have taught me how to laugh at myself. They have taught me that the world will not end if I don't clean the house for a week...though it may stink. They have taught me that I don't have it together and that I will forever grow, learn, and change. They have taught me that laughter is a necessity for my soul. They have taught me that sometimes I just need to take a nap. They have taught me that I matter.

Many times, I struggle with am I enough, am I loved, and am I where I need to be. To be honest, I feel lost most of the time I am constantly trying to figure out where I fit in this world and what do I want to do with my life? The only idea that I can manage to catch when my world is spinning inside my head...the only idea that anchors me when I feel like I am  floating away....I want to matter. I believe we all are searching for a spot where we matter in this world...where me mean something, where me can make a difference. 

Just today, I finally realized why I always manage to volunteer too much. What makes me join numerous volunteer boards. What makes me sign up for every holiday party? What makes me say yes to another activity that will require my limited time and energy? I long to mean something. I really need to help make a difference...not in some kind of martyr way. My soul feels better when I know I'm at least trying to make a difference whether I am giving my time, my talents, or my money. 

After helping with a big fundraising project during the school year, I swore off volunteering. Partly because I had developed a twitch in my eye and a tendency to drop f bombs at any random time. I has also developed a "hit list" of people who I was going to take out if approached in public. I know...so not loving. The fundraiser was hard, but the one thing that brought me comfort was not the checks written for big amounts. My soul was revived by the happiness the children felt by donating change. Let me tell you, pennies can add up. I was amazed with amount of money collected via coins. Coins that I often toss in the bottom of my purse. These children proudly brought in their change and it made a difference. They felt proud. They felt like they mattered. They felt apart of something. 

When it comes to giving, I have often fell victim to worrying about the amount I give. I have given to charities and campaigns with my head slightly bowed because I thought it was not a substantial amount to make a difference. I have had the Divas run up to me and ask for money to give to an organization set up outside of our local grocery store. I would feel this wave of guilt wash over me because I don't carry cash around. They would plead to just give something and I would hand them my change and try not to make eye contact with those collecting donations. Each time as I walked by with my head slightly bowed, I witnessed 3 little girls with the biggest smiles hand over nickels and dimes. They felt so happy to give just change. They were proud and they were satisfied. 

I realized then that I have been missing the whole reason for giving. It is not the amount you give. It is the act of giving that trumps everything. Society has made us feel that only high dollar amounts make a difference. Give big or go home. So many times we don't give for that reason. We lose a chance to be apart of something.  We lose the chance to matter. We lose the chance to make a difference. 

The sexy bald fella and I are currently trying to raise money for an aftershool program called Leap Frog that tutors/mentors 140 1st-3rd grade children found at risk for academic failure. 

To raise funds, we are running for the title of Mr. and Mrs. America and asking friends and family members to donate on our behalf. I will confess...I love a crown!! I still have my crown from homecoming queen 20 years ago and I have been know to wear it in car rider pick up line during the school year. So, yes I want that crown. But I also want to raise money so more children can attend this program. I have never had so much fun raising money before and it's not just because there is a crown at the end of the yellow brick road. I have had the best time watching others give. A chain reaction has started and I absolutely love it. But know this...

It's not the amount that makes me so happy. It's the act of giving. A $10 donation means just as much as a $50 donation. So, don't make the mistake I did a while back. Don't deny yourself becoming apart of something by thinking the amount of your donation will not make a difference. We all deserve to feel like we matter. We all deserve to feel like we can make a difference. 

So, I am asking you to join me and my friends. You have 2 days left to give to this cause!! 

Click on this link and just give:

https://www.crowdrise.com/fundraise-and-volunteer/donations/timekaandjoshdavis/teresaadams

If I am fortunate enough to win the crown, you will hear me scream like a banshee! And if I don't, I have still been fortunate enough to witness over 160 hearts opening up and giving!! 

If you want to learn more about Leap Frog, go to this link: http://www.theleapfrogprogram.org/

Please note: I did have to tell Miss B that we don't keep the money raised on our behalf. She asked "well, if you lose...can we keep the money?" As you can see, the teaching goes both ways.