Marking the March

Sheesh. Time flies. My last entry was in July. But fret not, I'm still here. And can only say that my absence is because I've been Marching so much that I haven't made time to type about Marching.

Six years ago on my birthday, I challenged friends to "March Forth" into their communities and give back, lend a hand, or at least listen to a neighbor. The response was heartwarming and far reaching. I've found that I'm less persistent (translation: nagging) to friends around this birthday/challenge anniversary. I used to send mass emails and letters - "hey friends, March Forth. And tell me about it so I can share the good news and we can multiple these efforts." By year six, I'm still committed but not as aggressive (or as energetic). I seem to have developed this expectation that this philosophy should now be a part of our every day thinking, right? Possibly it is. Many of my friends and family are very involved in their church, a scout troop, PTO, a nonprofit board, Little League, blood drives, food pantries, and many are more cognizant of simply reaching out to a stranger with a smile or a kind word. So, maybe it IS part of our every day lives. Or maybe it's like Flag Day. Some of us fly flags all of the time. Some of us think about it frequently but haven't yet made the time to replace that tattered flag or installed the bracket. And good deal of us need Flag Day to serve as a catalyst to fly that symbol we love. And collectively on that day in June, we can feel connected together across aisles and miles in a show of respect for our country.

So, instead of a plea, think of this as your catalyst. The date is to remind you, propel you to March Forth into your community. And not because I'm asking you. Or because it's my birthday tradition. March Forth because good things come from our time, our talents, our treasure and our compassionate, selfless disposition.

And collectively on this day in March, we can feel connected across aisles, cultures and miles in a unified commitment to living with kindness and making a positive impact on the world in our brief time here.