Giving back & helping others

Hi Blog family!

As a foster child of a minister who was friends with Dr. King, and marched with him during the civil rights movement, I always remembered a song that was played I believe, during his funeral.
This song is always sung in black churches from NY to the South during black history month.
This song has become the theme of my adult life. I believe its by the great singer Mahalia Jackson. I was always under the impression that we sung it to remind us of our struggles and how far we have come as well as far we have to go. I never got to ask my foster mother but I assumed this song reminded us a struggle and even death are ok, if it's not in vain.
If I can help somebody
As I travel along
If I can help somebody
With a word or song
If I can help somebody
From doing wrong
My living shall not be in vain.

My living shall not be in vain
My living shall not be in vain
If I can help somebody
While I'm singing this song
My living shall not be in vain.

I sing this song often and hope that one day it will be sung at my funeral/memorial. Why you ask?
It is a song I use as my marker in life to pick myself back up.
Often times we are struggling with issues that life brings before us, whether your a foster kid or not, everyone has a struggle at some point!
I want us all to remember the importance of giving back to other foster kids or to the less fortunate in your community, (charity should start at home).
Everyone will need someone at sometime in their life.
Think of what you can personally do to help save, change or improve a life today.
Maybe your good at reading books and telling stories, maybe you could go to a hospital and read to kids who are from group homes or go to a home for the blind and read to them.
Perhaps you could prepare 20 sandwiches and bring them down to a area populated by homeless people, maybe you could bring a foster child into your home.
No deed is too small IF you are acting out of the kindness and appreciation of your heart. Your deed can be as small as a smile to everyone you see today.
Yes, a smile can save a life or change one.
 I know because several saved and changed mines.
The thought for today is your life is never in vain, if you helped someone, changed someone or lifted someone up. Struggles are inevitable, but they are worth every tear and sweat, if you made a difference!

Please:" smile today and be kind to all you meet, you never know what affect it will have!"


xo Tanya