Let me be Enough

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  News stations, businesses and people are going pink in support of their loved ones and to raise awareness and spread knowledge.  Last month people and companies turned yellow to raise awareness and much needed funds for children with cancer, others turned purple in support of  Chiari.  Month after month organizations strive to raise awareness and funds for much needed education, research and treatment for a growing number of illnesses and organizations.
With so many charities, organizations and causes it can be a daunting task to decide where to donate your funds, time and support.   As I type this I am wearing one of many shirts from my participation in the Women’s 5K classic held every October in Allentown.  Over the years I have developed my own personal list of causes and charities I have chosen to support in a variety of ways.  As the 2013 holiday season approaches (yes, the Christmas decorations have begun to pop up in the retail market) I challenge all of us to reflect on how we have helped others, paid it forward and shown compassion during this past year.
I can’t and don’t always donate to every cause when asked.  I do believe it is extremely important that everyone find a way to do something to help others in need.  Compassion and the desire to help others is a positive trait we should nurture and develop in ourselves and our children.  I can’t always give money to every person who asks, but realize that sometimes it can be the little things that make a huge difference.  When is the last time you offered a smile or hug to someone who looked sad, or needed encouragement?  Did you send a card, email or make a phone call to a sick friend?  Drop your change in the donation jar on the counter at your local store?  Sign up to walk or run during a charity event?
I have read countless articles about being perfect and having it all.   We ask if we are the perfect parent, child, friend, employee or boss.  But is perfection truly what we should be striving for?  And who decides the definition of perfect?At the suggestion of a dear friend, I recently read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  In each book one of the main characters prays that he will be enough.
What is enough?  I think that is a more realistic goal for all of us to strive toward.  I may  not be perfect, but did I do “enough” as a Mom, wife, friend, employee and boss?  I want to be the Mom who taught her daughters to be kind  to each other and those  who cross their paths.  I want to teach them to do their best, reach for the stars and perform acts of kindness on a daily basis.  Will those actions lead to someone thinking they are perfect?  Perhaps.  But more importantly I hope that it is enough.
As the news turns pink, football teams have pink games and organizations reach out for funds and volunteers, I challenge all of us to pay it forward.  Find something or someone who needs your help and do what you can to make a difference in the life of another.  You may find that the little things can make a huge difference and just might be “enough”.