Actions Speak Louder Than Words

They sure do! I had a pretty serious conversation with someone earlier who was seeking my advice on her current love relationship. My expert opinion on love nowadays is that one's actions speak volumes louder than one's words. I've always believed that, and with each passing day (and man), that belief only gets stronger.
It's easy to say "I love you," "I care about you," and/or "I want to be with you." Go ahead, say any or all of those phrases out loud right now. It didn't take much energy, did it?! Nope. It's easy. However, saying and doing are two different things. The doing may start with saying the words, but if one truly means them, the actions are soon to follow. 
Since I was sixteen, I have had five different men (besides my dad and brother, of course) tell me that they "love me." I believe that one of them truly did at one point (well, for a while actually), but even that one failed to be my one true, undying, forever love. Although he continued to say the words up until the end, his actions (or lack thereof) said otherwise...and a lot louder. What was once a relationship full of respect, laughter, and honesty quickly changed to one of silence, disrespect, and lies... none of which fall under my definition of "love."
Thanks to my parents, I have always had and continue to have such a strong definition and example of love in my life. I have been taught that love means respect, loyalty, honesty, support, laughter, and knows no conditions and/or limits. Love is amazing: amazing to give and amazing to receive. I know that I am deserving of that love from everyone I encounter, and I will not stop searching until I find it in a life partner.
If you are struggling with love, dissect the situation. What are the actions attached to that so-called love? Are you being respected as you deserve to be? Is the love unconditional and loyal? Do you feel the love or only hear the words? Furthermore, who are you teaching about love? Are children watching you and your love relationship? If so, is the example that you are setting what you want for them in their future relationships? "Listen" to the actions just as much as you listen to the words. Give your love freely and demand the same in return. Know your worth and don't settle for anything less. <3

What is three hours?!

Two days ago I spent fifteen minutes on the Internet researching jobs with non-profit organizations that target at-risk adolescents. Within minutes I had one job interview set up and two other potential jobs for which I applied. It was then that I was determined to quit settling for the day-in, day-out life I have been living over the past couple of months.  I want more. I need more. I have the ability to make a huge difference in this world, in America’s youth, and in my own community, and now is the time to put that ability into action.

It was then that I came across Metro Denver Partners, a non-profit organization dedicated to building one-on-one mentoring partnerships to help build a stronger community.  Yesterday I walked into their office, filled out an application, spoke with a case manager, and watched a short orientation video.  Over that hour I was the most excited about life than I have been since I backpacked through Europe last summer, and, believe me, I’ve been pretty excited about things since then.

Although I was grinning ear to ear and almost bouncing out of my chair with excitement in their office, a part of me could not help but be saddened to learn about the 70+ kids just in the Metro Denver area who are on a waiting list to receive a mentor, and the majority of those kids will never receive that loving, supportive, encouraging person because volunteers are almost non-existent.  All the organization is asking of an adult mentor is approximately three hours a week spent with his or her matched child. Three out of 168 hours a week is so minuscule when you think about how monumental of a difference one can make in the life of a child. These kids would give everything for a mentor, and all the mentor has to give is three hours of his or her time. So why in the world should there even be a waiting list?!! The short answer: There isn’t enough funding for eye-catching billboards, TV commercials, or radio broadcasts to inform the public about the endless volunteer opportunities just waiting to be taken advantage of.  The majority of the public doesn’t realize how easy it is to make a life-changing difference to a child. Out of sight- out of mind, right? 

The majority of us grew up with loving, supporting parents and siblings who were there for us for anything and everything. How lucky were we?! Imagine being between the ages of 8-17 and having no support, no role-model from who to learn, grow, and gain the confidence and encouragement that motivates kids to succeed in life.  All these kids want is to have a constant person in their lives who loves them and encourages them to make the right choices. They even want someone who will be there for them when they make the wrong choices.  They want someone to talk with, to share with, and to throw a Frisbee with in the park on a Saturday morning.  Someone who is willing to devote only three hours a week to be their partner, their big brother or sister, their confidant.

Over the next year (and probably forever) I will be volunteering at least three hours a week to provide a consistent support and friendship to an at-risk teenage girl. Three hours, and all I have to do is be a friend, an advocate, and a role model for a girl who needs that in her life. I get to go to the park, watch hockey, talk about boys, go out to dinner, play games, go on shopping-sprees, build snowmen, and have the time of my life with a kid. You can’t even imagine how stoked I am about this!!! J  However, even after I am matched with a child who needs me, there are still 70 others in three surrounding counties who will still be desperately waiting for someone to be their mentor. That’s just in Denver. These kids are all over our country… in every state, in every town. 

So, I urge you to search within yourself and decide if this is something you can do for a child who desperately needs someone like you in his or her life. Despite your age, your income, your hobbies, YOU can make a positive difference in a life. If you will find just three hours a week out of your busy schedule to dedicate to a child who needs love and support, please research local non-profits in your area and volunteer your time. Three hours… that’s six episodes of Seinfeld reruns, three stops at the local Starbucks, or one football game that you’d be going to anyway. Why not invite an at-risk youth who may be getting in trouble on the streets because they have nothing better to do and no motivation to do better to something you’d be doing regardless? Not only will you make an ever-lasting difference in the child’s life, you will learn and grow as well. You will be giving back to your community in ways that you may have never imagined.  The value you will get out of this will be as much if not more than the value you are adding to the child’s life, the child’s future. There is no better time than right now to change this world for the better, and YOU can do just that!!

For more information, please visit www.metrodenverpartners.org or Google “adolescent mentoring programs” in your area. If you are not able to do the research, I will do it for you.   Feel free to ask me anything or share your interests with me. I want everyone to be as excited as I am to help these kids and make our future better for all of us!!!