Short & Sweet

These last four weeks I've been writing about the Gala and each of the Humanitarian Awards we will present on November 12 at our Global Gala. The week before those blogs appeared, I wrote about the Global Gala Gallery. (I got high marks in school for my understanding of alliteration). Each week as I wrote these entries, I felt a little guilty, thinking I should be writing about compassion or one of its attributes. Let me get the necessities out of the way. Please come to our Gala and take a look at our Gallery of artists and consider making a purchase to help the Charter and the artists who are sharing their talent. 

Our upcoming Gala is awesome. You truly won't want to miss it! It represents everything we hold dear and work towards. You'll hear and see the accomplishments of young people, get inspired by the dedication and compassionate action that is at the heart of those receiving awards. Each is inspiring and no obstacle has managed to stop them. The United World Colleges are celebrating their 60th year and Riane Eisler and Mary Robinson are champions of collaboration, social justice and exceptional leadership. Then there is Deogratias, whose resilience is a testimony to his strong belief in people and envisioning what is possible.

I look forward, not only to the reason for giving the awards, but also to listening the performers who have allowed us to share their music. As you listen to each of the songs, close your eyes every now and then, and digest the story you are hearing in the music. Do you want to work your way through the numbness and fog that surrounds us? I think we are offering a remedy. The sounds alone will challenge you to change your mind. How could you not feel the hope and love coming from the voice of Shivani Ray in our Pre-Gala program, or consider what 11-year old Coloradan Madhvi Chittor is doing to have been selected as a UN Child Advisor. She has been about her environmental work since she was five.

There will be many surprises in the Gala. The show will move quickly but we hope the results will be lasting. Give, if you can financially, but if not monetarily, give to building compassion in your neighborhood and community, through your work, or come join us as a volunteer. Work to off-set the harm brought on by political leaders who refuse the result of democratic elections or fabricate stories that bring on fear. Learn to ask questions before passing judgement. It is the compassionate thing to do.

With warm regards,

Marilyn 

This message from Marilyn Turkovich, Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion, appears in our 11/08/2022 weekly newsletter. To sign up for our newsletter, scroll all the way down to the end of this page to get to the bottom menu; in the newsletter section, enter your email address and click on subscribe.