when i got diagnosed with cancer, did you pause, panic, or run because you didn’t know what to do? or when you’ve been going through a hard time, did you see others do something similar (me included)?

on the flip side, did you receive something thoughtful, an act of beauty that got you through?  i sure have.

i’m so pleased to connect you all to the Help Each Other Out Project.  it’s an online resource with ideas for how to help each other out as we go through the bumps and bruises in life.  illness, loss, divorce, fertility, coming out, unemployment, parenthood, you name it.  beyond giving tangible ideas on how to help, the project also starts a conversation for people to share and discover gestures that get us though.

why am i telling you this? if you have a $1 to give (or more!), the project has launched a fundraising campaign through IndieGoGo.  you can find it here and https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-each-other-out-share-what-works/x/7123920#home. 

i’m an advisor to the project and also helped the beautiful, inspiring co-founder kelsey launch a collaborative portrait bombing in SF as the project’s first social marketing campaign.  i got to be part of the campaign that features BAYS women telling stories of one action that got us through. my portrait and story are in this photo, which will be distributed around SF…to draw people in, help them realize that small gestures matter, every kindness counts, and we can collectively share what works.

what we’re asking is, beyond any donations, to: sign up to receive the Help Each Other Out Project’s newsletter, contribute gestures that worked for you when the online library gets up and running, and share the project and IndieGoGo campaign with your networks.

i could have highlighted a million and one different gestures that i was the recipient of—the texts, visits, calls, letters, emails, meals, rides, gifts, blog comments and hearts. from you. and you. and you….and you too.

i chose to highlight an empty bottle that angel sent me. she asked me to write myself a message so that it comes back to me in 40 years. it was the first moment i actually envisioned a future life beyond cancer.

i’m not grateful that i got cancer. i’m grateful that, inspite of cancer, there is beauty in the world. and this project is helping illuminate that beauty.

xo

m