Monday, November 17, 2008

So Inspiring!

I've become a news junkie. I like to keep up on the current events by listening to the radio, watching news programs, and reading the newspaper. Unfortunately, it's the negative stuff that usually ends up in the news and these days there's plenty of bad news. So, when I read about this tender little story, I felt like I had to share it. It is a reminder that every little act of kindness helps and that every person can make a difference in someone else's life. Making the world a better place is something everyone can do.

A group of knitters who live at Cedar Crest, a continuing care retirement facility in New Jersey, get together one hour a week to knit hand puppets, blankets, hats for newborns, and other toys. These items are donated to hospitals and children's medical centers. The hand puppets are used by doctors to talk with children; it helps to diffuse the fear a child may have in a hospital setting.

Last month, 100 hand puppets were donated to Circle of Life, a Newark, NJ based program that provides services to children with terminal illnesses. These gifts from the heart make a big difference in the lives of the children and care givers. It also helps the knitters. One of them, eighty-six-year-old Evelyn DeLeeuw said, "You can't sit and grow old. You have to keep active."

I love how these women found something they could do to help others. It helps me think of things I can personally do to help make someone's life better. Even if it's just as simple as showing more patience and love to those around me. We don't have to save the world, just focus on meeting a need in our own little corner of the world.

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