This month has been crazy!  Work has gone from extremely slow to full capacity in the matter of a couple weeks and it seems like my persistent efforts are beginning to pay off!!  I'm looking forward to being back in TX again in May for quite some time.  Each time I go back I seem to find something else I miss about living in the DFW area. 

On a random note, I have been on this persistent drive to find ways of helping others.  Whether it is helping friends in school with resumes and job search, or finding a way to help distribute projects to colleagues and collaborative partners who may be slow, I feel this burning need to help!  It shows up in my posts as well.  I feel like the last few updates have had underlying tones of the importance of helping others.  After all, isn't that what life truly is about?  Finding a way to make the world a better place and leave a legacy through the positive impact you have on others.

This past weekend I volunteered with Tiffany's organization at the Special Olympics.  I can honestly say, it was one of the coolest things I have ever been a part of.  It was encouraging that there was actually an over-abundance of volunteers who showed up as well.  I could go on forever about how humbling the experience was, or all of the amazing people I met, but the coolest experience was definitely meeting Ricky.  Ricky was in a wheel chair and after he competed, i had the honor of pushing him to the awards podium.  Seeing the excitement on his face and hearing it in his voice was enough to make anyone forget about their troubles and worries and sit back and enjoy life's delicate details. 

If you ever have the opportunity to volunteer and experience this amazing gathering, please do not pass it up!  I guarantee it will help to mold your perspective on life and encourage you to take the plunge into the addiction that is truly helping others.

I had a really great conversation with a friend, Jenny Blake, who is a manager at Google, a life coach and active in the social media world.  We talked about life coaching and helping others in what I like to think of as "self-empowerment."  Essentially causing others to get passed whatever mental or emotional block keeping them from really doing something they love and dream of doing.  One of the things in my life I have always loved is helping others and feeling like I made a difference in their life.  I have become increasingly interested in being a life coach more formally and hopefully have the opportunity to help others on a larger scheme.

The second side of the coin is charity, which in my mind has two sides as well.  Charity in the sense of giving to an organization that helps others has always had a place in my heart.  I dream some day of either starting an organization or being able to contribute heavily to one that serves a good cause.  The other side is charity in the absence of empowerment.  I went to a great event for the Susan G. Komen foundation the other night and one of the speakers was a writer for Philly Magazine.  He spoke about the difference between Allen Iverson and Lebron James.  AI has always given financial support to friends and followers who "needed" it.  However, those same people are the ones who continually tap into the bank of AI and most likely will forever do so.  After interviewing people from AI's life, the speaker said he only found one person that had never asked AI for anything.  It begins to get blurry when you try and determine who "friends" really are.

Lebron on the other hand is just as charitable but gives to his friends and family in the form of educational support and really helps to lead his followers to that self-empowerment model.  Another good example is the Victim Services Center of Montgomery County.  We recently did a pro bono project for them and it was amazing to see what high regard the donors, volunteers, clients, counselors and community had for this organization.  They too are based on the model for empowerment.  They help empower victims of violent crime to overcome the dreadful tragedies they have faced.  They help give each client tools, outreach and support to truly cope with and process the tragedies which they have faced.

I continue to hope I will have opportunities to help others and make a difference in other people's lives.  To me, that is truly what life is about and what we as humans can offer to the world and to each other!

 - Ben