Wonderful Opportunity

What a few weeks it has been over here in my world! I have been in the midst of chaos- so much going on I can barely keep my head and my emotions in check! One minute I am having fun - the next minute there are difficult issues and loved ones in pain and turmoil to love and support - the next minute I am getting more creative rejection (yipee), then I am off to my day job- smile and be professional Alisa - back to having fun - Christmas creating and shopping- and up and down and up and down things go. Lately I have been feeling a little lost, a little restless, looking to start some new things in the new year with my life and my art and though I am not sure what these things will completely include- the writing is on the wall and it is time for some big CHANGES!

Thankfully over the weekend I had one of those special moments that stopped me in my self obsessed tracks and sparked a different kind of inspiration- A friend of my brother who works for the International Rescue Committee in San Diego told him the story of Fartun, a 7 year Somalian refugee attending ESL classes in San Diego who comes to school in the same clothes everyday- binder clips holding up her skirt, one pair of pants and shirt, no jacket for the chilly weather, no socks - one thing to wear and to wash. As my brother told my husband and I her story, naturally my heart broke- I think all of our hearts broke and collectively the three of us decided on the fly that our gift to each other would be new clothes for Fartun. I got up and went directly to the store (this was not a situation to procrastinate with!) and spent a LONG time trying to find some appropriate things for a 7 year old to wear. I wandered the store for a few hours, looking through the kids section completely overwhelmed by what it means to have to nothing, to only have one of something. Not gonna lie- I was pretty rocked and held back tears as I looked through the racks of clothes- picking out clothes for a little girl who has none felt very daunting but I snapped out of it and succeeded with the task at hand and collected a pile of brand new clothes!! It was the VERY least that we could do but such an important thing for Fartun. I received this picture today from my brother and it made my heart break all over again- but this time with joy! It is so easy to get caught up in ourselves, so easy to take for granted the money that we spend, so easy to put off giving or making giving a priority. This wonderful opportunity to give to Fartun reminded me how small my own struggles are, how good it feels to do ANYTHING for someone in need and how important it is to stay connected to those struggling in our community. 

The IRC has tons of amazing programs and opportunities to volunteer and to give for more information visit- thierirc.org