Out of the Mouths of Babes

"Don't say that you want to give,

but go ahead and give!

You'll never catch up with a mere hope."

Johann Wolfgang Goethe

So here I am writing about kindness and hope and I get an email from a blog friend, Teresa. She told me about what her daughter, Madeleine, had decided to do to celebrate her ninth birthday. Not her nineteenth birthday, mind you, her NINTH. I don't think when I was nine I had advanced much beyond gazing at my own naval. I could try to tell you about her idea, but I think it would be better if you just check out some of the videos on the site. Be sure to watch 'til the end because seeing the footage of fresh water come spewing out of the ground will make your knees weak and eyes leak. At least they did mine. [Akasa, you're going to love this!]

Being a nosy sort, I immediately wrote her mother back and asked her to tell me about Madelein, aka Luna. Of course, asking a mother to tell you about her child is like asking Mrs. Fields (or Sally Sunshine) to tell you about her cookies. It's all going to be good. In this case, I don't think there is a lot of exaggeration. And even if there is, who cares? I think if you look close at the video of Luna, you'll see the outline of her angel wings.

Here's what her mom told me:

I realize she's my daughter and all...lol...but...Luna is the coolest form of kindness and hope. Just the way she generally is....just in general being...she's always just...willing to love. I remember when she was 3 or 4....we lived in Manhattan and I coordinated a women's shelter every Friday night she would love to come with me...set up the beds and sheets and pillows and a table with food and when the women would come in...off the street...kinda worn out...kinda stinky and all any other kid would have been freaked out...but Luna would run to these women...show them their beds...and sit with them as they ateand...one time...she let one of the ladies...one that I was even scared of...sit with her and read "Walter the Farting Dog" and they laughed so hard.

(ME note: It's kind of hard not to laugh at Walter the Farting Dog!)

And as for the charity donation, Teresa said:

"Well....this is something we have talked about for a long time
and this time....when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday present,
she said, "I don't need anything...I have too many toys and stuff."
So...she and her Daddy went back to looking for a place to donate
and they found this website where you can raise money
$5,000 is literally enough to build an actual well...(to dig deeply enough into the African soil to reach fresh water) ....water to an entire community."

Since this is the time when our hearts and hands turn towards thanks and giving, you are probably already getting address labels and catalogs and solicitations from bell-ringing Salvation Army Santas. I know it's not possible to give to everyone. But perhaps you'd consider donating a few dollars to this worthy cause.

About the only thing left I can think of to say is:

Happy Birthday,

Miss Madeleine Camelia Walls

May God bless you as you bless others.

You Rock!

Wishing for you a giant glass of clear, cold water,

Merry Me