This Valentine’s Day, let’s all take a step back and think about how we show our love for the world. We asked a few of our Global Moms their thoughts about love and giving back, and here is what they had to say.
“Learning about how others live has always been important to me in raising our three kids. The only way I know to do that best is by having all three of them attend live storytelling events with me. I check the community calendar, local talent nights, story slams, event readings, author book signings, and bring my children, one at a time, with me. To learn about other cultures, perspectives, way of life, and history, is essential to being a citizen of the world. Now that my two oldest are away in college, I am proud to see that all the storytelling they grew up with has made an impression on them. My oldest is working with a Stories of Madison on his campus, and my middle son organizes monthly volunteer community events where he and those who say yes to his invites dive deep into Madison’s neediest communities. ‘With each story, our world grows smaller.’”– Alexandra Rosas, Good Day Regular People
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. -Lao Tzu
“After the birth of my first son, I dealt with postpartum depression and an episode of postpartum psychosis. Instead of hiding what I’ve been through, I share my story courageously with other women, so that they can find their strength. This Valentine’s Day, I’m strengthened by the love of my husband and my children–their love pushes me to help the women who haven’t found their voices yet.” – Tiffani Greenaway, MyMommyVents
“Giving back is especially significant in our family, because we have been the recipient of so much generosity and goodwill over the years. Max, my oldest, has cerebral palsy, and so many people have helped to accommodate him, enable him and generally make life better for him. He is 14 now, and I want him to understand how capable he is of giving back. One simple effort he and my daughter have been doing: gathering gently used scarves and gloves to donate. Also, this year she’s going to train to be a volunteer at the program for youth with special needs that her brother attends, so that’s a satisfying full circle. It’s so key for children of all abilities to know they have the power to help.” – Ellen Seidman, Love That Max
“My son and I regularly drop off donations at our community center. It always feels great to be able to supply the people who need help with food and clothes my son has outgrown. This year, I want to make a point to also find a food pantry we can volunteer our time in — children should see activism in action, and I like him to experience how much pleasure one gets from giving back. I also teach him that there are other ways to give back; that we vote every time we buy something like organic food. We’d rather spend money in a local store to support our community than in a big box store or online. My husband and I are passionate about green living, and we just had solar installed on our house. In 2017, I will keep using my large social media following, especially on Twitter, for causes I believe in, like sustainability and equality.” — Dagmar Bleasdale, Dagmar’s Home.
“As we move forward in 2017, my family and I plan be more involved in our community. We have always been supporters of giving back and have been involved in donating food and clothing to shelters for years, making sure that our daughter sees the importance of caring for others. Currently I am involved with our local activism group, ATLI (Activism Together Long Island), to tackle issues like gender equity, diversity, climate change, to name a few, through their newsletter and my blog. In addition, I plan on continuing to write about global issues with World Moms Network, to ensure that the problems women face in other parts of the world are not forgotten because their issues affect all of us.” – Tes Silverman, The Pinay Perspective, World Moms Network
“This year, I plan to show my love for the world by gathering my friends and family each month and giving back to our community by feeding the homeless. I’ve found that so many people want to help. They really do. They want to support those less fortunate in our area, and all they need is for one person to step up and organize it. So that’s what our family is doing. We’re the organizers and our friends and family are the soldiers behind us, arms loaded with bagels, fruit, scrambled eggs, juice, and smiles. We’re showing our love for the world together; we’re making memories, building character, brightening days, and filling bellies along the way.” -Amy Mascott, teachmama.com
“We recently instituted a complaint and compliment box in our home, which allows everyone to air their grievances in a safe place (and hopefully get them resolved), but to also support each other with kind words and compliments. I realized that we just didn’t have opportunities to show each other love, particularly sibling-to-sibling, and so this new system is something I’m hoping to foster that all year, and hopefully beyond.” – Kristen Chase, Cool Mom Picks
Take action challenge
How are you showing your love for the world this #ValentinesDay? Head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment or tweet us at @GlobalMomsChall using hash tag #GlobalMoms.