Paying It Forward

If you follow me you’ve probably noticed my absence on Facebook. I’ve deactivated my account for now, although I’ve come back for a few days to formally say goodbye. For all the bad things that have been said about social media, and Facebook in particular, I choose to look at it differently. For the most part I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and met some fabulous people who have inspired, encouraged and uplifted me with their passion and perspectives, others who I have been great teachers, and still others who have become true friends that I otherwise would never have had the opportunity to meet. I am blessed and grateful. For now, I feel the need to “unplug” for awhile and reclaim my life, remember who I am (does that happen to everyone or is it just me?), and spend some quality time with family and loved ones.

I’d like to take the opportunity to “Pay it Forward” and introduce you to just a handful of people I’ve met through Facebook that I feel are worth knowing. Some have become friends, others don’t know I exist, but they’ve deeply impacted my life and I am grateful. This is a short list because of the time it would take to tell you about everyone I‘ve met who has inspired me. I will just give you a short synopsis of their website, blog or book so that you may take the time yourself to check them out and maybe leave them a little note if you’ve been touched by what you’ve read.  There is no particular order and none of them know I am sharing this. It’s simply a few people with a passion for what they do or a message worthy of sharing. They are all Angels on Earth!

1) Courtney Long, Caring For Your Spirit at http://www.caringforyourspirit.com/

Courtney is a Transformational Life Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist and so much more! She is warm and compassionate, honest, open and passionate about helping caregivers learn to care for themselves. Courtney also works closely with the LGBTQ community and helps everyone feel energized and empowered at the end of the day. Courtney is someone who everyone should know. Thanks Courtney for all you do!

2) The Olson Family started The Phoenix-Fund. Their goal is to educate and bring awareness to the epidemic of TBI (traumatic brain injury) so that other families will never experience what they have been through. “Brain Injury is the last thing on your mind until it’s the only thing.” From their website “As a family, we know all too well how life-changing a TBI is to everyone involved, and The Phoenix Fund was created as a result of our own unexpected need to re-invent our lives.” I would not be doing this site justice by trying to put it in my own words. Go to the website, check out their facebook page “The Brain Injury Phoenix Fund” and see how they describe a Phoenix. You’ll never think of it the same again. They are one family trying to make a difference. I’m so grateful to have gotten to know them. http://www.phoenix-fund.org/

3) Philip Dzialo writes a fabulous blog: Healing, Empowering and Thriving . His wife Sharon has written a book From Ceramic to Clay. Philip writes, “On July 24, 1998, our son, Adam Dzialo, nearly drowned. Twenty-five minutes under water at a summer camp when he was 12 years old eventually resulted in a disabled body but produced an indominitable spirit and brilliant soul. Twelve years have passed…we believe our son to be in an active state of healing. We devote our lives to his recovery.” I am attaching the link to one of my favorite blogs of his. There story is one with which I can truly relate, being the mother of a child who had an injury which would be forever life-changing. If you  cannot relate to his story, feel you have nothing in common with this family, I am sharing this particular blog for a reason. This is one of those opportunities to gain a new perspective: http://healingandempowerment.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=48

4) Angels on Earth Healing Ministries

http://www.theangelsonearth.org/  ~“Everyone is an angel to someone.”  I was receiving this newsletter before I knew anything about this organization, the people involved, and their mission.  All I can say is read the explanation  on the homepage of what an Angel on Earth is, and you will know that we have all known one (or many). I love all the compassionate and kind people who make AOEHM possible. Check out their outreach programs and see if you can help. They are currently collecting water for the homeless with different drop off locations around the city. I would be happy to pick up cases from you and deliver them if you are unable to take them to one of the locations. If you are from another city or state consider donating water to an organization in your community that helps the homeless. Summer is an exceptionally difficult time for those living on the streets. I love Angels on Earth Healing Ministries. You’re all true angels!

5) Jennifer Grant http://www.jennifergrant.com/ . I don’t remember how our paths initially crossed but I fell in love with Jennifer’s passion, commitment and calm demeanor. We share a common thread of having a family made up of both children born to us and those who came to be our children through adoption.  Her memoir, Love You More: The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter has been called the “Eat, Pray, Love of parenting books”. I couldn’t agree more. The thing about reading this book is I never want it to end. I want to be her friend, as I’m sure you will too when you read it. This book is the beautiful, yet challenging, story of adopting her daughter from Guatemala, but it’s a story that everyone can relate to on some level. It’s about careers, relationships, and parenting with all the joy and challenges, happiness and struggles. It’s a story of who she is, her compassionate nature, her honest, open, portrayal of how life changes and how we grow into those changes, and her undying faith that all is just as it should be. This book is a must-read for anyone considering adoption, but I feel it’s also a book for every woman, every mother, every parent. I love you Jennifer. I love this book!

6) Denise D. Franczak Johnson started this blog just recently about her journey of caring for her mother who has dementia. It‘s a journal of their experiences and a promise she made a long time ago to never place her mother in a nursing home. Find her blog at http://ajourneywithmom.wordpress.com/ . Denise has been my friend for thirty-seven years and I’ve known her mom for about the same amount of time. Follow along on their journey. I love you both!

7) Trina Hayes http://www.trinahayes.com/ is the author of Just Love Her: A Mother’s Journey of Healing Through Her Daughter’s Drug Addiction. and a newly released book, Attracted to Addicts? It’s YOUR time for Happy, Healthy Relationships. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read the latter, but her first book was one of those I just couldn’t put down. “Just Love Her is a riveting, inspiring, true-life account of a mother’s journey to heal herself, even as she strives to help her daughter overcome the ravages of drug addiction. It’s a story that is both practical and inspiring….she has walked where parents fear to tread, learning important lessons along the way…This is a love story, one that will inspire and teach far beyond parents and children touched by the ravages of drug addiction.” Trina has been an inspiration to me. She is positive, inspirational and filled with hope, for herself, her daughter and all who have walked similar paths. I love you Trina!

I’m so happy to be writing again and for this opportunity to Pay it Forward to a few people who have inspired me.  You can subscribe to my blog now and receive it in your email, find me on Twitter, and soon I’ll be trying to express on my new website http://trying2express.com/

Blessing, Pam