Every Dream Begins with a Dreamer

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." ~Harriet Tubman

The Charter for Compassion has lost some incredible team members this year. Each one of them dreamers, committed to doing something to make this world a more welcoming place for everyone. Compassionate California lost another one of its most ardent members; Joan Marie, on June 28. You'll learn more about her and her work in this newsletter. Reaching for the stars seems like a daunting task and while visually appealing it doesn't seem realistic. Truth is that Joan Marie dreamt many dreams and used those dreams to put compassionate programs into practice.

Do dreams lead to monumental change or is it that those who accomplish much are good observers of the human condition? I think it is a little more of the latter than the former. Sometimes, the observation leads to the dream. Let me share a story about Jessica Rees, an 11-year-old cancer patient whose brain cancer required her to make daily trips to the hospital. During treatment she noticed that while she was able to go home each day, other kids had to stay behind. She realized that these children were suffering just like her, but they had the added burden of being alone. So, an idea clicked. She would make them Joy Jars—each one filled with coloring pens, stickers, and small toys—a gift to brighten each day. Jessica's mom shared how particular she was with what went into each Joy Jar, every item had to be special. Before she passed away, Jessica created 3000 Joy Jars! She helped brighten, and brought joy to, the lives of thousands of children and their parents and guardians. Jessica didn't do this by herself but observed something that would make other children's lives more joyful. Her family and others joined in. Children, like adults, learn and lead by example.

Joan Marie and Jessica Rees were people who were keen observers, and they honed a path for us to follow. Each left us with a legacy of challenge and an example to prove that we could and should follow in their steps.

With arm regards,

Marilyn 

This message from Marilyn Turkovich, Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion, appears in our 07/011/2021 weekly newsletter. To sign up for our newsletter, scroll all the way down to the end of this page to get to the bottom menu, in the newsletter section enter your email address and click on subscribe.