49 Days of Life: Giving Tuesday, Gaining the Future
This is an actual headline, from Time Magazine yesterday: “Calm Black Friday: Only 1 Death, 15 Injuries Attributed to Big Shopping Day.” As we’ve all watched over the past decades, consumerism gone wild has led to arguments, fights, stampedes, and tragically, many deaths on the Friday after Thanksgiving, when the drive to buy a discounted DVD player or some other consumer good seems to trump acting out of common sense and treating people with dignity.
With the arrival of the Internet, Cyber Monday emerged so that we are still able to satiate our drive for “stuff,” but from the comfort of our couch. Or, transport yourself from the office to the virtual world (during a lunch break, of course) where no item is unattainable, without the pushing and shoving.
While I am certainly no stranger to shopping, and love picking out the perfect gift for family members and friends, let’s be honest, most of the items we purchase don’t last, or really aren’t that worthwhile. However, a new movement has arisen, and it’s going on right now – “Giving Tuesday.” From their website:
This year help us create #GivingTuesday. A new day for giving back. On Tuesday December 3, 2013, global charities, families, businesses, community centers, students and more will come together to create #GivingTuesday.
It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Be a part of a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.
Thankfully, there are so many ways in which we can invest our money to help the cause of the most valuable gift we’ve all received: life.
Pregnancy resource centers are on the front line of caring for women who are faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Personally, I have been blessed to volunteer at the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C, and have witnessed the loving and supportive care of the staff and counselors. Also, in D.C., the Northwest Center seeks “to promote the dignity of women and a respect for all human life…by offering the loving support and comprehensive aid necessary to enable all women to continue their pregnancies, deliver healthy babies, and adequately care for themselves and their children.”
Thousands of women have chosen life for their sons and daughters due to the love and compassion of pregnancy resource center counselors across the Nation. When we give our resources to these organizations, we are playing a small part in helping women choose life. Who knows who you might impact? Heartbeat International and CareNet are the parent organizations for most centers, and the innovative Online for Life partners with many centers, using technology to connect with women. By supporting any of the aforementioned organizations, or your local pregnancy resource center, on this #GivingTuesday (or any day!), you are investing in the future, and helping to give the most precious gift: life.