Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Giving Back to TED

It was a really hard decision for me to not apply to attend TEDxWaterloo this year. I attended my first event last March in Waterloo and have been to one other event since. I start almost every day with a TED talk. I really love the events but when the applications came out this year I had my head tugging me in another direction.

I'm a doer. I'm a thinker as well but I really, really flourish when I'm doing something.

So I made the decision this year that instead of spending the day thinking and listening, I'm going to devote my TED day to doing. Between appointments and other obligations I will be volunteering at a church food bank, helping some low income folks fill out their taxes and delivering a big batch of clothes from the FoodLove clothing closet to some local agencies.

Now I know that I'm always doing something to help others but this year, it was important for me to devote this specific day to really giving back to my community. In some ways, this is also giving back to TED. In the 2 events I've been to this year, I've been given a lot. I've been inspired a lot and in my own way, since I don't have any money to give them, this is the next best way I can give back to an organization that's given me oh-so-much.

To those attending TEDxWaterloo tomorrow, I hope you have a joyful and inspiring day. I also hope that you'll share the love with the rest of us by tweeting and blogging.

Happy trails!

4 comments:

  1. You're a wonderful person Melissa. Many lives have been changed from all of the work that you do. People like you make this community feel like a home.

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    1. Oh Greg, you are so kind you bring rainbow coloured tears to my eyes.

      But seriously. Waterloo Region means so much to me, I'm thankful that I've been given the gift to help and I'm grateful to all the people that support me in doing so. If it wasn't for the folks that give me their stuff and money to hand out to others as well as the folks who give personally to my family, it wouldn't be possible for me to do the work I do.

      Will you be at TEDxWaterloo tomorrow? If so, I sure hope you'll be sharing the education!

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  2. Wow... just wow. I truly wish thee were more people in this world like you. That's it.

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    1. Coming from someone like you, these words mean a ton. You are pretty amazeballs yourself Craig!

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