Friday, December 1, 2006

Do Good Often

I have a t-shirt that says "Do Good Often." It is bright pink with orange letters, so clearly it stands out. When I am running on the trail, I get the most interesting looks from people. While I can't necessarily read their minds, my intuitive nature enjoys interpreting the expressions. Everything from big smiles, to thumbs up, to looks of confusion. Now keep in mind, the wording is on my chest, but I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt and that they resonate with "Do Good Often" and not simply looking at my chest.

Recently, I had someone come up to me and ask, "What does that mean?" It broke my heart. Granted it was in an upscale colloquial area of town, but for the first time in my life, I found myself speechless. While it is easy to judge such naivete, the truth is that to "Do Good Often" will have a different meaning for each of us. But the power of our words when we translate them into action can be amazing. And when all else fails, turn to Oprah.

This Monday, December 4th she will be featuring Muhammed Yunus who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for developing the concept of micro-credit and founder of Grammeen Bank. His work and the work of amazing organizations like Kiva are literally providing people a tangible way to "Do Good Often" and have a direct connection to empower others in developing countries. So while you don't have to wear your intentions as literally as I do, at least articulate them in your heart and whatever it means for you, "Do Good Often."

1 comment:

Unknown said...

A. Doing good often is a great message to send, and I'm glad you're spreading the word.
B. They ARE just looking at your chest, but I have always felt like that is the best place for women to share powerful proverbs.
C. Speaking of Oprah, have you seen Dane Cook's (who I usually don't think is that funny) stand-up about Oprah giving away schools instead of cars to her audience? Laugh out loud funny.