In giving, there can be a feeling of self-importance; like what I’m doing will matter so much to someone else.  I am always humbled when, and this invariably happens, I find this act of giving matters just as much to me as to the receiver.

This week I took the money raised from my Breast Cancer Open House held last month and donated it to the chosen charity, Breast Cancer Angels.  If you are just arriving to the party, last month I dedicated every day to breast cancer awareness and one of the events was holding a fundraiser for a breast cancer charity.  After the 2 hour event, $650 was raised.  Not bad.

I called the Breast Cancer Angels to get directions because I wanted to hand deliver the money.   I had several checks people had written and was uncomfortable putting other people’s money in the mail.

To be honest, when I called, the woman answering the phone didn’t exactly give me reason to want to go there at all.  She did not sound very happy that day nor excited to be talking to me.  I was expecting at least a twinge of gratitude since I was bringing them money.  When I hung up I actually thought, “Well, I’ll just mail the damn checks if “they” are so unappreciative and uninterested.”

But, after thinking about it, I decided to go.  Maybe she was just having a bad day.

As I pulled up to this tiny, unassuming little building with bad parking, I saw their sign and knew I was in the right spot.  I entered and was greeted by a sweet lady attending to some administrative duties. I explained to her why I was there and she immediately lit up and a smile filled her face.  I knew immediately this was not the woman I spoke with on the phone.  This woman was incredibly thankful and gladly took my envelope.  After writing my name on it we said our good byes and I left feeling accomplished.

I was standing just outside the building to take this photo, to remember this modest little spot, when a lovely, tall older women popped her head outside and said, “Would you like to come in and see what we do?”  I quickly replied, “I’d love to.”

She gave me the “tour” although the space couldn’t have been more than 900 square feet.  She led me back to a small room, more like a closet, that housed bags of gifts for the children of women going through breast cancer treatment.  She explained how they hold a holiday party each year at a small amusement park for their clients and their families; complete with gifts and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  The women get to visit and work on a craft of some sort and the kids get tokens for the rides.  They also get to leave with a trunkful of presents.  It is a block of time where these families can just “be”.  They don’t have to think about being a cancer patient or a child whose mom has cancer.  They can just have a “normal” day.

On our way back to the front, I commented on all the beautiful holiday items lining the tables.  They looked like they were being grouped by theme and color to be put into baskets of some sort.  Having done my share of fundraising events, I knew potential basket items when I saw them.  She confirmed and told me about their annual holiday luncheon and boutique they hold to raise money for Breast Cancer Angels.  She explained how the one woman show behind all these beautiful arrangements was a volunteer who had a knack for shopping and an eye for presentation.  There must have been 50 different groups of things that were to be transformed with beautiful ribbon and packaging into desirable raffle baskets.

Not having this talent, I was in awe.  But what struck me more was the time that clearly went into putting these all together.  This was obviously a labor of love that this woman did without compensation.  Someone who volunteered her time, and a lot of it, and her skills to help people struggling. The clients will probably never know what she has done.  She hopefully gets a mention at the luncheon.  The incredible amount of love and care that she donated was overwhelmingly apparent to me in that little dingy room with no windows.  I remarked that this woman did a beautiful job and was told that she, along with everyone else is a volunteer.  They operate solely on volunteer power.

As I was getting ready to leave, my beautiful tour guide mentioned that the large company, Trend, that operates across the street, and owns most of the commercial space on that block, pays their over head.  Pays all their expenses.  So 100% of the money raised goes directly to the clients.

It was that exact moment that the tears started to well up in my eyes.  I was totally surprised and overwhelmed by this as I do not typically cry easily.   But in that moment, in that tiny little drab office, I was overcome with a feeling of goodness and thankfulness.  Thankful that I came to this little space that is doing such loving things in this would.  Thankful that I was able to witness generosity in its purest form.  Thankful that, in a world of negative headlines and sensationalized news stories, there are in fact awesome things going on on this planet.

There are good, good people walking among us.

With tears in my eyes we had come to the end of the tour.  My lovely tour guide, Faye, who happens to be the founder of Breast Cancer Angels, along with the sweet volunteer who greeted me, escorted me out.  (But not before giving me a reusable Breast Cancer Angels bag.) 🙂

As I was walking out the door, a woman with her hands full was waking in.  “Oh, you must be Karen,” she said.  “Thank you so much for your donation.”   This was the cranky woman I had spoken with earlier.  I am so glad I didn’t let her course interaction with me keep me away.

As I walked to my car, the tears continued to trickle slowly down my cheeks.  I thought of my mom who I watched struggle all those years ago, I realized she would have been a little older than Faye. I was thankful that the money raised at my little open house will be able to help women and their families battling cancer.

Being a bystander as someone you love goes through cancer leaves an incredibly helpless and scary feeling.  I can’ t even imagine what it feels like to be the one with cancer.  Knowing there is a loving group to help is comforting.   Whether it’s through food, housing, clothing, medical co-pays, transportation, home health care, second opinion payments, legal help, social/emotional assistance or scholarships for the kids….Breast Cancer Angels are there.

I was so incredibly humbled and grateful to have witnessed something so beautiful.  To have experienced first hand that in fact, there are angels walking among us.

 

Salty Kisses,

Karen