Can you believe it is the end of January already! I hope that all of your renewed commitments and new resolutions for 2013 are going well.
I had the pleasure of celebrating a milestone anniversary with my husband in the beautiful Napa Valley. It was a wonderful way to rejuvenate, reminisce, and think about what is important in our lives.
As time seems to go faster and faster with each passing year, I find myself looking for ways to capture the moments and save the memories of people and places that have made a difference in my life.
Launching Vacations That Matter has helped me put “Grace into Action,” so today I’d like to share my inspiration with you.
Putting Grace Into Action
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead
An executive reads at a local school during his family vacation. A mother receives a gift of much-needed food and immediately shares it with another hungry family. An elderly man distributes sandwiches every evening to the homeless in his neighborhood park. A teen spends her vacation building houses for poor families rather than scuba-diving.
Unlike news headlines that shout out bad news and horrific happenings, goodness often reveals itself quietly. The people doing the good work, true everyday leaders, will likely tell you, “It’s no big deal. I’m just doing my life.”
It’s true. Those who practice grace are not saints, not perfect people. And they come from all races, ages, genders, spiritual beliefs and lifestyles. They are ordinary people doing acts of extraordinary importance.
What Kathleen A. Brehony discovered in writing her book, Ordinary Grace, is that for these people, acts of kindness lead to the kind of meaning and fulfillment that makes life worth living. In other words, we make a life by what we give.
“We all make decisions about what we will emphasize as we live our lives,” Brehony says. “Whether we ‘tune in’ and open our hearts to ordinary grace or not is a personal choice.”
The grace Brehony refers to encompasses compassion, altruism and empathy—in essence, all forms of loving-kindness, or, acting with the goal of benefiting another. These are values that most of us share. And in emergencies, such as the recent hurricanes, grace is usually more prevalent.
But many people fail to bring their everyday actions in line with their beliefs and values. We have the best of intentions, but are overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life.
What makes grace come alive and enrich the lives of both giver and receiver is action. Not just caring, but acting courageously based on that caring. “Grace in action”.
“Unless our insights result in some practical action, they are not useful at all,” says the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. “With compassion, one needs to be engaged, involved.”
Grace is not just about doing good work, but also about recognizing the inherent goodness in every human being. It’s about recognizing that despite the outer trappings—the income level, social standings, education—we all want the same essential things: our basic survival needs met, dignity, a good life for our children and meaningful connection with other humans.
We all have hundreds of opportunities a day to either pass along a spark of grace or to pass up the opportunity, leaving the world a bit older and wearier. Brehony offers 13 steps to making a difference in your life and others’ by living grace in action. Here are some of them.
Discover what you love. What’s important in your life? What’s missing?
Be prepared for pain as well as joy. It can hurt to care. But acting on that care, participating in transforming the suffering, is nurturing.
Simplify and scale down. Where in our lives is there time for grace to enter? Learn to say no to that which is not meaningful to you.
Put belief into action. Virtues such as kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness are not intended to be lofty ideals but rather modes of behavior.
Find grace in small things. Writer Alice Walker suggests, “We have to regain our belief in the power of what is small.
Build on your immediate, personal connections to others. What do these relationships mean to you? Can you build them into something stronger, more solid, deeper?
Model good behavior. Children learn mostly by what they see and hear.
And I have to say that taking a Vacation That Matters is definitely one way of putting grace into action.
We talked about his 5 brothers and sisters and his parents. He knew how lucky he was to have two living parents as most kids in Makuru have one or have been orphaned by HIV/Aids (both of his parents are positive, but living healthy lives). We talked about what his goals were and how school would open up more opportunities. He cried when he spoke about his opportunity – one he had, but his brothers and sisters did not and how he felt pressure to not only excel in school, but make a difference for his family, Makuru and Kenya. I just know this boy will impact many, many lives. So, here is the selfish part – I LOVE that I’m part of that. My kids LOVE that they have a brother in Kenya. Think about this…we called my kids from my cell that day and spent an hour on the phone with Barrack asking questions and learning about each other. They laughed and laughed…thousands of miles away, on a cell phone, and they made a lifelong connection. My children, now 10, 7 and 5, give me their birthday and allowance money regularly to pay for Barrack’s school. They are more interested in what we can do for him for Christmas than their own lists (most days!) and they scolded me last year for not including their brother on the family Christmas card.
Imagine a luxurious family vacation that opens your eyes to some of the world’s most unique cultures, astounding history, and inspirational people; a vacation that enables your family to partake in life-changing philanthropic activities while staying in exceptional accommodations. Africa is one of the places that can offer your family this remarkable and highly rewarding experience.
Spend the first portion of your family vacation in one of Africa’s most beautiful and wildlife-dense countries, Zimbabwe. Here, you can immerse yourself in sheer luxury while supporting revolutionary sustainable efforts at one of Zimbabwe’s finest eco-tourism camps, Wilderness Safaris’ Little Makalolo. Founded on responsible tourism principles and the desire to introduce travelers to the wildernesses and beauty of Africa, Little Makalolo offers families an experience that uniquely combines sustainability with adventure.
Specifically, Little Makalolo’s electricity is generated by solar panels that dramatically reduce their carbon footprint, while having no negative effect on the comfort and convenience that guests experience. The safari excursions are also sustainable since the camp employs local certified guides to take families through their wilderness adventures on foot and by vehicle.
After an inspiring stay in Zimbabwe, spend the last segment of your family vacation at the Grootbos Nature Reserve in South Africa. During your stay at this lavish hotel, equipped with private cottages that are ideal for families, take part in the ultimate family-friendly activity, an AWOL bicycle tour through Cape Town’s neighboring Masiphumelele town.
Another organization that offers exceptional eco-tourism programs for curious and philanthropic individuals and families, alike, is the Uthando South Africa organization. Offering over 30 different Philanthropic Cultural Tours, Uthando enables families to choose programs based on their individual interests and personal preferences. Some of these tours include Dance for All (dance instruction to underprivileged kids), Hout Bay Music Project (musical instruction to underprivileged kids), Volcano Arts Project (community theater program), and NOAH (aid to the elderly), to name a few.
Generally speaking, these tours offer a deep insight into South Africa’s social, political, economical, health, education, and housing issues, as well as its historical background—a rare and inspirational opportunity. There is nothing more satisfying than engaging in rewarding philanthropic work as a family and growing together through that insightful experience.
Well, while I was shopping for shoes for my daughter over the weekend, we came across a pair of TOMS which she really liked and I was happy to purchase for her. I felt like I was doing something good because if you know about TOMS shoes, you know that with every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One.
His determination, hard work, skill and confidence paid off when he was offered a full basketball scholarship to the University of North Dakota. He met his wife while attending the University and went on to a successful career in the technology industry. In spite of all his success, Manny never forgot the children in Africa who were still living under the strain of poverty, drug abuse, war, and other criminal activity. Determined to help, Manny left the comfort and security of his executive position and started Samaritan’s Feet.
You can read more of Manny’s story in his book, Sole Purpose. Visit him on Facebook, or the Samaritans Feet website at 
