Proactive Humanity

I hardly remember the past seven days as they were filled to the brim. Every night I would collapse from exhaustion and start all over again in the morning. I accomplished a few awesome things this week and am also so very happy they are over. Everything they teach you in a management degree is about prioritizing your time, your most precious commodity. While I'll never truly be able to catch up on sleep I will definitely be catching up on self-care and me time. My wow goals are all about giving myself time.

I'm sending prayers to the rain god, if there is one.  Why would a rain god care of my "me" time. Given the current situation in Fort McMurray with three forest fires surrounding the urban service area, and me being an ESS volunteer, I'm thinking two-rocks one-stone. What is ESS? It's Emergency Social Services, comprising a great team who provide support to those affected by disasters. 

Real disasters. Storms, floods, fires, tornados. The worst of the worst. This team is there to help shelter, feed and provide the most basic services that normally we take for granted. Other than the ice storm in Quebec, I haven't been in a real disaster as a victim. Disasters are where you see people go to incredible lengths to be there for each other.

True community.

Imagine losing your home to an act of God (which insurance companies do not cover). Who would you turn to? Family, friends? What if like most Fort McMurrayites your support system is in another province or city? Who will you turn to? The systems are in place to be there for each other. How can we apply these core values and sense of community on a more regular basis. Why do we need a disaster to bring out the best in people? I got to volunteer this week for an incredible organization - Canadian Humanitarian - who provide the wrap around care for children in Ethiopia from early childhood to adulthood. A local doctor and his wife, a social worker, adopted a brother and sister from Ethiopia and were so impacted from the experience that they decided to do something about it. Canadian Humanitarian was born and is hosting the Hues for Humanity - a family friendly color run/walk on the birchwood trails (5k easy route) on June 4th. Sign up a team or go solo here!

So I challenge you, don't react, instead be proactive by doing something kind for another person.

1. Smile at someone you don't know.
2. Tell someone you do that you love them. (Unless you aren't ready to take that step.)
3. Volunteer for something!

|If you picked option #3 here are the two local organizations showcased:

1. Hues for Humanity - and the incredible organization behind it: Canadian Humanitarian.
   
2. Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo's Emergency Social Services - you can volunteer by signing up here!