Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

This quote arrived in my email inbox this week:

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.  (Theodore Roosevelt)

Earlier in the week, I heard it said another way, “Do your share.  Know your share.”

And this morning, I found a note I wrote last August (which I love), “If you help, this will get better.”

Why the universe lines up little hints like this is beyond me.  But when they stack up like this, I stand back and take notice.

In our blog, I usually try to write something related to specifically to  philanthropy. .. how to give better, more effectively, with more intention…etc.  But the element that I find so powerful in these thoughts is not about the technical or professional side of the field, it is really about asking ourselves, “what brings us joy?” and then doing that.  What we “should” be doing doesn’t matter.   In fact, the “how we give, how we donate our time, and how we engage in our community” are all greatly improved if we can find the joy.

And this is the important part, “joy” doesn’t have to be complex.  It actually may be incredibly simple & seemingly quite “uninteresting”.   Personally, and for some reason I can’t quite figure out, I adore manual labor.  LOVE IT!  I love the opportunities to pick up trash, build stuff, garden, lift boxes, etc.  You can imagine that it took me sometime to figure this out, and longer, to actually admit it.  After all, aren’t I “suppose” to want to do “interesting” things like draw up a strategic plan, think about social enterprise, and sign up to volunteer in Africa?

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” because “if you help, it’ll get better.”

It’s simple.  Possibly uninteresting.  But there is no guilt in that statement.  The only requirement is to know what brings you joy, and do just that.

Pin It on Pinterest

Revisit consent button
Close
Dr. Michele Fugiel Gartner, CAP