Tumbled Words

Now, why would I ask that?

You don’t really think I can’t see your charm either by your written words, actions, or the sparkle in your eyes, do you? I can. But the charm I’m asking about is the little trinket that is special to you, or brings you good luck, or the one you are going to find or make and send to Shelly so she can put three each (from different people) in 140 medicine bags for the children that attend Camp Sanguinity. (Shelly has a link to info on Camp Sanguinity!!!)

Now, her other project was craft intensive, but this time if you aren’t a crafter you can still help! You come up with a small non-fragile item that you feel represents something wonderful. (Shelly came up with examples like miniature harmonicas that really play, a shark’s tooth, etc.)

Now, if you are a knitter, sewer, or crocheter, by all means, please, make a little medicine bag! There will be 140 kids….

All the details are here:

And if you are new here and wonder if those cute little charms will be palmed and not get to the kids, you definitely need to rush right over to Share A Square and see all the afghans that went to Camp Sanguinity this past summer because Shelly railroaded* us all into helping her make them with love in our hearts.

*Railroaded in this context is an awesome thing!

Tags: Good Medicine Project, Share A Square

Cropped image of third afghan photo taken by Shelly K. Tucker

I’ve written so many times about Shelly of This Eclectic Life and her dream to have 48 different people and then some create one afghan per child for 140 children who would attend Camp Sanguinity this summer, also known as Share A Square. This post is about the results!

She did not just dream it, she orchestrated the project, did more than her share, and her enthusiasm garnered a lot of help from the blogging world and even others outside it. It took the full year, but it got done!

Afghans were delivered yesterday! Read about it here - and while there, though Shelly will say, as always, we ALL did it, she was the force that picked up our slack, kept after her readers for help at the risk of alienating those that were there for her colorful tales and vignettes of life told Shelly style, and just brought out the best in many good people.

Not only that, she collected donations of $1,229.47 to help pay camp fees for the children! View the check here!

One person can make a difference. Shelly did, and yes, she was not an island, but I have a feeling had we not responded she would have made them all — but her family, friends, readers, and their friends and family, all came through for her - no, really, they came through for the kids! That is what the dream was all about.

Special thank you to Eric, her husband, for his part in the project and in supporting Shelly through it. All of us married or in a relationship either know or have an inkling of how difficult life can be when a partner takes on a project that overtakes the entire house and consumes life for a year.

It feels good to make a difference, no matter how small. So, for those of us who don’t have the time or skills to take on a huge project, just help with one or do one of the trillions of other little things that you can do each day to make a difference to someone else. Sometimes just an unexpected smile is all it takes to change someone’s day.

Note: Are you one of those people not getting the big deal of giving a child or teenager an afghan? Are you wondering what kids and teenagers could do with an afghan? Think they just let it sit on the bed? Yes, that is one possibility and I used Thursday Thirteen as an excuse to find uses for them, 17 things they could do with it - and kids and teenagers have a lot more imagination than I do.

Tags: make a difference, Share A Square, This Eclectic Life

No, my Muse did not win already, this is neither waxing poetic nor just banter, it is my Adult Me speaking up briefly.“At War With Self”is about the connection between fighting ourselves and fighting for peace.

Tags: Connections, peace, self-war