Sometime, the thoughts just spring to your mind, and you know there are things that you want to talk about. Sometimes this happens a lot, and sometimes it takes a while. And it wasn't until we logged in that we realized that it had been an entire year since we last posted. Wow! But guess it is better to write when there is something to say, instead of just writing for its own sake. Guess the rest is up to you to decide.
So much has happened in the last year. Some good, some disappointing, and some terribly sad. The only thing you can do is to try to get through the best that you can, keep your chin up, and walk towards the future, and whatever it brings.
We hated that we were not able to make our last trip. Things just didn't fall into place, and there wasn't anything that we could do about it. We missed not heading back to the location that owns our hearts, and we missed not seeing our friends. We hope that they understand, and we look forward to seeing them again very soon.
We are currently working on our next trip, in the fall. And soon hope to have more details regarding departure dates. But until that time, we continue to do what seems to be a neverending process, fundraising.
We are a small team. Any smaller and we wouldn't exist. We are a team of 4. 4 people who work full-time. 4 people with homes, lives, and responsibilities. 3 of us still have small children at home, and that means school and homework and sports activities to work around. And none of us are independently wealthy. We don't live in expensive homes, drive fancy cars, wear flashy clothes, or eat in 5-star restaurants. We live in comfortable homes, drive average cars, wear relaxed clothes, and usually have our eat out in fast-food or take out locations. For us, the joy in life revolves around our family and friends, not about being a part of a social circle. And our friends, well they are just like us. People you can count on in an emergency, who will hold you up when you are falling down, who will push you forward when you are trying to lag behind, and who will offer a shoulder when you just need to cry. That is our riches, and it is worth more than money can ever buy.
So we find ourselves always trying to find ways to make money to support our team. We don't have corporate sponsors. We don't raise millions of dollars a year (or even hundreds of thousands, now even I am getting depressed) and our CEO doesn't make a 6-figure income (more like puts into the funds a 3 and 4 digit figure each year.) We have a select group of people who support us each year, and to those we are so very, very grateful for their confidence in our mission. We do multiple events during the year to raise money, and if we clear $1500 per event we are excited! And than we move to the next one, and the next one, and the next one.
It so often feels as if we are "nickel and diming" what we do. Cause there isn't much we won't try to make some money. We make butters and jellies, we make scarves and afghans, we sew blankets and do custom baking. And we keep trying to come up with something that is new and will interest others. And sometimes it just gets to be a very heavy burden to walk under.
All of our projects require money. We managed 2 community service events last year. And we are planning at least 2 for this year, and hope to add at least 2 more before the end of the year. And the fear is that we won't make the necessary funds to do all we want to do this year, or next.
We have so many plans that can make a huge difference in the lives of others, and the thought of not being able to do them is heart breaking. And so you often wonder if it is time to just let it all go. To go back to the way we were, to a time when we didn't have this drive to help. When it was more about work and family, and sitting on the deck on a pretty afternoon. And maybe this would be easier. But is it something we could really do? Could we wake each morning and know that we won't make the trips, we won't do the community projects, we won't be involved in something greater than each of us? I don't know. I hope that it never comes to this. But also know that something has to give, and soon. You can't keep treading water forever. But for now, we will keep kicking, and keep planning, and keep hoping. Hoping that we can attract the attention of others, so that they become involved. That we can move forward with our plans, and can truly make a difference in the lives of others. And that we can pass this passion on to not only others, but to the next generation.
