That's fantastic! Thanks for the info! So thoughtful of you to pass this on.

Btw, I so admire your stance about "enough!" Imo, a spirituality of "enoughness" has great power. It is refreshing to hear of someone on such a path. Thanks for sharing.

Anele, I think what you are doing sounds wonderful. I have just heard too many stories where the money is not actually going to the child I have also heard how people write letters to "adopted" children, never to receive a reply with answers to the questions asked.
If there is a way for me to get past feeling this way, I would like to know how.
I do give donations to two organizations, but I like to either give actual physical donations (dog food to a shelter, rather than cash) or volunteer. This is the only way I know that what I am doing is going directly to the cause.

Ellendi, There are other organizations that can receive a financial benefit when you order through Amazon.com. I know of several in my area that are small, local, and 100% of the donations go directly to their animal rescue (it's an entirely volunteer run organization but very professional and well regarded). I don't want to hijack the thread but Ellendi if you are interested I'm sure there are other groups in your community that receive a portion of their funding in this manner. Mind you, it's a very small amount, usually. Another group that works along the same lines is eScrip. You use your eScrip number when you shop at selected merchants and a portion of your purchase amount is funneled to a charity of your choice.

Stinky, thank you so much for taking the time to read it! And no, I have so much to learn about the concept of "enough." I know it, but I need to fully, fully LIVE it. (BTW, I was quoting your line again today! I told my sis what you wrote once, about it being just as easy to hope for the best instead of the worst, so why not pick the best?)

Ellendi, yes, I understand your concern! I cannot guarantee that Save the Children is run w/o waste, but I looked for a group that was NOT associated with a religion, and one that has a history of being honorable. There is no telling, however . . .didn't even the Red Cross come under fire for mismanaging funds recently? When my children are older, I would like for us all to do more physical/direct help, but for now, I feel that we are doing something . . .that my children are interested in the life of someone far away and with a lot less than what they have.

Judith, yes! I think it would be great if people used the link for whatever group-- just pick one (or more!) and donate. It takes no extra time or money! Even though it is a small amount, it adds up. I look at my Target receipt and wonder how $2 and $5 items suddenly turned into $200!

Thanks anele for your response.

Yes, we can hope for the best as easily as for the worst. We can look for the best in front of us or focus on the worst of it. (Bestyears here at GW helped me see that part!).

Another practice that goes a little deeper is to surrender! Trust in life- (higher power, God, the universe, etc.) having faith that we don't always recognize what is "best." What may seem "bad" today, may reveal itself as a blessing years down the road. We so often just don't know the whole story.

Life wants things for me that I wouldn't have necessarily asked for, so I must learn the lessons presented day by day, & trust that these are the experiences I am meant to have. We so often resist the present moment...thinking we know *better!*

And Anele, just entertaining that "perhaps" what you have is enough, is a huge, gigantic step outside of the "More, Better, Something Different" box that our society encourages us to reside in! For now, maybe that shiny little glimmer of insight is *enough.*