"So, this is Christmas..."

I have a confession to make: I have been putting off writing this post for a while.

It's not that I don't want to tell you what I've been up to. Or how this little goal of mine, to support 12 causes before Christmas, has affected me. Quite simply, I am still trying to process it all and I'm finding it difficult to sum up in one simple blog post.

That said, let me fill you in on what happened for the second half of the 12 Days and then we'll go from there.

Seven Swans-a-Swimming--This line makes me think of (shocker!) water and, specifically, the ocean. I was blessed with growing up at the beach and everyday during the summers of my childhood I rode the waves in the ocean that is just a short bike ride from our house. Fast forward to when I got a little older, my Mom would take my siblings and I on beach clean-ups with Clean Ocean Action, a group whose mission is to, "improve the degraded water quality of the marine waters off the New Jersey/New York coast". We'd pick up trash off of the beach and work their info tables to help spread the word. Those experiences really ingrained in me the importance of clean water, not just to swim in but also to drink and for the safety of the marine life within it. So it was a no-brainer to support their cause so that my kids (God willing, I'll have kids) will be able to ride the waves in a clean ocean just like I did. If you'd like to learn more about this very important group or make your own donation, see here: http://www.cleanoceanaction.org/

Eight Maids-a-Milking--I know this is supposed to refer to maids milking cows but for some reason this made me think of mothers taking care of their kids. Go figure. Anyway, there is a special group called Womanspace who helps women and mothers and their children who are victims of sexual and domestic violence. They were collecting items for wish lists that included pajamas and perfume and other things that, in some small way, help these women who are trying to get their lives back together feel feminine and empowered. I gathered some new pajamas and perfume and headed to their offices to drop off the goods.

And before I knew it, this quickly turned into the defining moment of this whole experience.

As I was walking up the driveway, a woman was walking out of the Womanspace building and past me towards the parking lot. She wouldn't make eye contact with me and she kept her head down. It appeared like if she could have made herself invisible she would have preferred it that way. Still, I saw she was smiling a little smile, as if to herself, and holding some gloves and pajamas to her chest, playing with the fingers of the gloves as she walked. And suddenly it dawned on me that she was most likely someone whose life had been affected. My heart stopped. Here I was, humorously lamenting the fact that this dating project has proven more "kryptonite" than helpful when it comes to me meeting someone, and I was coming face-to-face with someone whose life had actually been turned upside down by being in an unhealthy relationship. In that moment I thanked God for the kind of relationship I was not in and knew I was a lot luckier than I realized.

Nine Ladies Dancing--This line made me think of ballerinas dancing across a stage. I have a special place in my heart for the arts, especially ballet and music. I danced ballet from age 5 to 14 and even earned my toe shoes. My mother, quite wisely, enrolled me at a young age and thank goodness she did. It taught me grace and poise and good posture (which is important when you're as tall as me) and made me fall in love with dancing. As a special treat each year, my Mom would take me to see the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center which was put on by the New York City Ballet. Talk about a magical experience! Here were these beautiful almost ethereal dancers in breathtaking costumes floating across the stage. I was filled with awe from the very first time I saw them. And my heart still flutters a little each time I see them now, just like I am five-years-old again. I have seen this production at least 13 times and I believe that if we surround ourselves with beautiful things and experiences that eventually all of that beauty will come out of us in other ways. The arts are integral to this and to making us think. So I donated to the New York City Ballet Company's Toe Shoe Fund so that their ballerinas will have the shoes they need to captivate audiences for years to come. Did you know that the Company has to buy over 8,500 pairs of toe shoes every year? And that the dancers can go through as many as 40-50 shoes during every performance? They do. If you would like to support the New York City Ballet and make sure it remains part of the cultural fabric of New York City, go here: http://www.nycballet.com/support/support.html

Ten Lords-a-Leaping--Being a huge basketball fan, this line just made me think of lords...of the court as they go up for a jam. One of my favorite lords of the court is Randy Foye, a Villanova basketball star who now plays in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers. Randy grew up in Newark, NJ and lost both of his parents by age 6. Through incredible hard work and determination, Randy did not let his losses nor his circumstances define him. Instead he developed as a person and a basketball player and ultimately made it to the NBA. He started a foundation that, "raises funds and develops programs and projects aimed directly at improving the lives of the people, especially the kids, of Newark." I have seen it first-hand: the work they do is really meaningful and incredible in the lives of the children of Newark. They were doing a toy drive recently so I helped them wrap gifts and also donated to their very worthy cause. If you would like to help Randy in his amazing cause, contact my good friend Christina (who makes all of the magic come together for the organization) by checking out here: http://www.randyfoye.org/

Eleven Pipers Piping--The mention of pipes made me think of construction and the amazing work that Habitat for Humanity does. I was lucky enough to go on Habitat and mission trips while in college. Helping someone build their home and build their community made me realize that love is an action word. So I sent some funds to Campus Ministry at Villanova so that they could pass it along to some other student who, just like me, had to raise money to go on a Habitat trip. This small example of paying it forward will hopefully encourage the ripple effect and help teach yet another generation the importance of giving back.

Twelve Drummers Drumming--This made me think of music and my own love for it. I was lucky that at a very young age I learned that I love to sing. Thanks to music education in my school--specifically chorus--that passion was encouraged. I donated to VH1's Save The Music campaign so that other future Mariah Careys can get their groove on and find their own voice.

The 12 Days of Christmas are done and just under the wire. This whole thing took on a life of its own and I can honestly say that my heart was changed. I felt a lot of different emotions as I went through each step of this project. Sometimes joy and a connection to something bigger than myself. Sometimes I felt unsettled and wondered about the people and causes who wouldn't have what they needed. But overall once I built this giving into my routine it was no longer a question of if I would do it but more just a question of when and what. No one, usually, wants to think about someone in need or "the other". Because as we all know, once we think about that person or people who need help, our conscience will go to what we should or could do. And that can be uncomfortable. But if everyone made an effort to at least do a little, it would add up to a lot and take us a step in the right direction. After doing this simple project, which was really just a drop in the bucket, I have a new found appreciation for those who work in non-profits. I always think that I work for the greater good since I work in higher education. But these people who give so selflessly for little pay during long hours work for the much, much greater good.

I hope that you find your own ways to give your time, talents and treasure to those who really need it and to causes that mean a lot to you. And not just at Christmas but throughout the year. It might just change your view a little. I also want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! Over the next couple of days, as you go about your festivities, take a look around at all you have and, most importantly, the people surrounding you, near and far. We are all rich with love and blessings and in more ways than we even realize.