Waking up three weeks after recovering from the coronavirus, staring up at my bedroom ceiling contemplating many deep and personal questions regarding what this all means to me, my family, and my future on this earth prompted many sleepless nights of self-examination. Kicking around random thoughts, visions, and inspirational reflection that remains a moving target has sparked a strong desire to do something meaningful to benefit others. My desire to help others or pay-it-forward does not stem from an epiphany that occurred during my recent sleepless nights following the virus, but rather personal acknowledgement that my get-off-the-couch moment has been nagging at me for over 40 years. Call it the Holy Spirit, cosmic inspiration, or a few significant angels hovering around me, but something finally encouraged and patiently awakened this desire to step up and get on with helping individuals that could use a little assistance in a tough situation.
My family and friends know that I am a lucky fellow who, during my college days, survived a horrible boating accident that killed a fraternity brother late one night in Oklahoma. Why I survived has haunted me for a long, long time and I never had an answer until recently upon deep reflection and perspective that only comes with time. Perhaps I hadn’t seen enough or experienced enough of life’s lessons and truths until my 66th year on this planet. Now is the time to get on with this endeavor that has been bubbling beneath the surface all my adult life and is finally ready for a prime time vision and inspiration that hopefully puts a smile on the faces of individuals struggling to feed their families or trying to find financial support for medical procedures and other necessities of everyday living.
This new journey I am introducing with my newsletter and podcast will only succeed if others, like yourself, feel the same desire to help others as I am expressing today. My vision or mission is to shine a spotlight on individuals, small businesses, and charities that need a helping hand and are finding the current economic environment extremely troublesome and daunting. I am aware that everyone receiving my newsletter already has charities, churches, and a myriad of causes that you are supporting. My hope is that through your introduction I can also highlight those individuals and charities that are important to you and could use a kick start to get out of a tough financial situation or a difficult healthcare circumstance.
One of my life lessons that I have witnessed as I am entering my so-called Third Act is that good stories have relevance. And, good stories can motivate people to action if they can visualize what is truly happening in the lives of others affected by numerous adversities such as losing a job, a family tragedy, or addiction. We all know life can be brutal and terribly unfair at times. If I can help a family or an individual out of a tough situation by telling their story in a compassionate manner to empathetic readers and listeners, I believe we can make a positive difference in their lives. Interviews and meaningful discussions with dedicated leaders of small charities, half-way houses, and foodbanks can put us in homes and facilities of those families struggling to pay the electric bill or putting food on the table. It doesn’t take a wild imagination to put yourself at the dinner table of a single mother in Detroit with three or four hungry mouths to feed knowing that her church or local foodbank is also struggling with less donations this year due to the economic shutdown and mandated closures.
I plan to start this journey by distributing a weekly newsletter, bringing to your attention individuals and small charities that are dealing with difficult economic conditions for their businesses and charitable causes. As we move into August, I will also include a podcast format to share with you to enhance the story component of the individual or charity I am highlighting. As we move through the year, the newsletter and podcast will likely focus on the same cause or individual so you can decide which format is best for you. Please share this newsletter with friends and family you believe would like to read and hear about good works taking place in your community.
Finally, it is always a little dangerous or crazy to write something that is not completely nailed down but I want to be honest with you from the get go. I do not plan for this effort to be a fund raising effort on my part. Yes, I will support many of these charities and individuals I bring to your attention. However, I am open to creative ideas about funding and sponsorship of causes that you may be interested in today or think are worth pursuing. I will provide easy donation links to non-profit charities already up and running. In addition, I will be brain-storming with friends about creative funding methods such as GoFundMe and even direct payment that can assist and support individuals. I have no problem putting in a strong plug for a charity walk or group fundraiser if it is meaningful to you. Therefore, I have intentionally left this important avenue open for ideas and creativity.
Now is the right time for me to get off the couch and do something beneficial for others. If you have the same feeling and want to get involved please don’t hesitate to contact me and provide your thoughts and aspirations. I have a strong feeling that you and your family are feeling the same desire to help others. Let’s do this together.
All the best to you and your family.
Roger N. Steed