MERRY MERRY & HAPPY HAPPY!

Well this is just getting ridiculous! We have really learned to roll with the punches here in Latin America, and we have learned that even though a place we are staying at says they have “internet and wifi,” doesn’t necessarily mean that they have access to it. We have gotten spotty connections the last week or so, and I have felt really bad that I haven’t been able to update here more frequently. But alas, we have learned that things just don’t work the same way in Latin America as they do at home, and we are doing our best to embrace the last couple weeks of our adventure down South.

We still haven’t gotten over the disappointment of the Creative Corners experience. I still can’t believe that we got scammed the way we did. If you didn’t read the last couple updates..to make a long story very short; once we got to Costa Rica ready to volunteer, with much lowered expectations (due to our Peru volunteer experience) it was obvious that this program was even more disorganized than the one in Peru. So disorganized in fact, that there was no real program to volunteer at. We were ready to work with children in a creative environment, but there were no children and no program. I am disappointed that this volunteer experience was taken from me, as I have been looking forward to it for months. I am livid, that an organization who calls themselves a “charity,” can take a large sum of money that was fundraised (through this website and the “Raffle of Goodness”) and not actually give that money to the charities it promises, but keeps it for “overhead.” But again, trying to go with the “roll with the punches” mentality, we are doing our best to not let this negative experience ruin our trip. We are still trying to get money back from Creative Corners so that we can donate it ourselves to a real charity that helps children. As well, we are working on finding the silver lining and learning from the multitude of lessons that this volunteer experience (or lack thereof) has given us. I’ll tell you one thing–I know that I am now, more than ever before, inspired to create a beautiful non-profit organization myself–one that is built from the ground up with honesty, integrity and transparency. I will keep you updated on this situation with Creative Corners as well as my own lessons, epiphanies, and clarity that are coming to light here in Latin America.

SO, today is December 26th… In just a few days it will be 2010, and my “challenge” of doing 365 acts of goodness in 365 days is almost up. What a year it has been! As I am updating here, I realize that I could fill in the gaps of all the good that we have been doing since the last time I wrote, but I think I am going to do something different. I’m sure you all have had your fill of the different ways we have helped feed people and animals on the street, how we went that extra mile for a stranger, and all the thoughtful gestures we have done for friends and family. So instead, I am going to focus my last few posts here in 2009 on some lessons–my “take-aways” if you will– from this year’s journey.

Today I’ll share with you one of the biggest “take-aways” from this year. After almost a year of dedicating myself to the “goodness” mentality, the one thing that stands above all else is…”EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS.” I know I’ve said it many times before. It’s kind of a motto around these parts, but it’s the truth. Every little bit of it. Sure there are big, bold ways we can all set out to make a difference, but there are little ways that can pack quite the punch as well. Think about it. If all of us did just a little bit, it would add up to…a lot a bit. You don’t need to be a mathematician to figure that one out. SO, my hope is that I have inspired you this year–even in the smallest of ways to show you that you don’t have to be a celebrity with millions of dollars to make a difference. You just have to have the heart and the willingness to go that extra mile. You know what, it doesn’t even have to be an extra mile. Just an extra step will do the trick.

Last year my New Year’s resolution was “goodness,” and although I still have plenty of room to grow, I think I have been able to be more conscious of those around me. More conscious of those in need, and more conscious of what I can do to help. Again, if we all as a human race started to think like that, I guarantee we would see a huge shift in humanity for the “good.” So today, just spend a little moment–even if it’s less than a minute– and focus on that shift. That shift to do just a little more good for yourself, for those around you, and for the greater world as we know it.