As I mentioned in my previous post, my son is having an Angry Birds birthday party. Of course, this means I've been on the prowl for the perfect Angry Birds birthday cake. And OH, have I found some cute ones!!
Here are some of my favs! I emailed the ones pictured below to the bakery in charge of whipping up our delicious cake and can't wait to see how it turns out!
An education. Something so simple. Something so easily taken for granted.
So Blake gets an idea. "I'm going to start a shoe company. And for every pair that we sell, I'll give a pair to someone who needs them."
GENIUS!!
But his idea wasn't the best part. He actually did it. He actually made this happen. I'll say that again in case you missed how awesome this is...
He actually MADE this happen!!
[And that is the part that blows my mind, my friends.]
Because of his actions over one million pairs of shoes are now on one million pairs of feet that never would have had shoes otherwise.
One million.
That's a lot of shoes.
But it's so much more than shoes.
One million little feet. One million opportunities for an education. One million smiles. One million improved lives.
One million. From one idea.
And this is just the beginning for Toms. This company is less than 5 years old and is continuously growing in popularity.
Yesterday, June 7th Blake announced the newest venture for Toms. Rather than telling you about it, please just take a minute to watch this short video clip.
We see needs around us everyday. Everyday.
Sometimes we even have ideas of how to help. But how many of them just stay ideas inside of our heads and never become more than that?
I am inspired by Blake Mycoskie. He didn't just see a need. He didn't just want to help. He put himself out there. He sold a business to fund this venture and he actually made this happen.
I want to be that person. I want to have the courage to put action behind an idea and make a difference in others' lives. So thank you to Blake Mycoskie and all the others like him that remind me of just how possible this is.
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
Okay, I have a confession to make but you have to promise not to judge me. You promise? Well, then lean in. Close. Closer.
I've never participated in Earth Day before.
(BTW, that was my attempt at cyber-whispering. Just go with it.)
Now where were we? Oh yes. I'd just admitted that I'd never participated in Earth Day before.
Is that a crime? Depends on who you ask.
So, let's ask George. (Note: I did't actually know George Carlin but if I did I'm almost certain he'd like me calling him George. And again, just go with it.)
George, do you think it's a crime not to participate in Earth Day? What's your opinion on all of this "saving the Earth" business?
[Video contains profanity]
Hmm. Well, I think we can all agree that George doesn't think I've committed any crimes. And I happen to think the man is a genius, so maybe I'm not so bad after all.
However, all [well, most] humor aside, I decided that I need to start becoming more conscious about the environment. Don't get me wrong, I'm with George. I don't think we're going to destroy the planet. I think that's giving humans entirely too much credit.
To me, Earth Day or "being conscious about the environment" isn't about "saving the planet." I think of it this way. I may not be on a diet, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't pay any attention at all to what I eat. I may not be counting calories, but I know not to make a habit out of eating ice cream everyday.
So what's my point? I view everything on a sliding scale. I can believe that there is no way to "save the planet," even that the planet doesn't need us to save it, while still realizing that I need to make better habits and teach my son to just be conscious.
What will we do to be more environmentally conscious you ask?
Ah.... slow down little grasshopper. Earth Day isn't until tomorrow and it shall be revealed to ye then.
