So I just got married. I’m telling you because my coworkers have heard it ad nauseam and I need a new audience. I’m actually telling you because the wedding was the setting for something I witnessed re: inspiring others. I try to live life in a healthy, motivating way that will inspire others to contribute to the world around them – and the opportunity presents itself every day.
Our wedding reception was held in a building owned by a local charity. All profit that was being made from our dinner and dance was going directly back into a charity’s bank account in order to help sustain the work they do. For that opportunity to touch lives with our wedding, I am grateful. Instead of letting our guests tink their glasses for us to kiss, they had to make a donation in the jar at the front. 10 minutes before the reception, our emcee said he wanted to set an example; donate a loonie, have us sorta-kiss, donate another loonie, have us sorta-kiss again, and then donate $5 and, well, this is a family show.
This simple example he provided inspired the room. People were ‘upping the ante,’ if you will, and my groom and I were almost running out of creative/funny/entertaining ways to kiss. Before we could blink, the two youngest attendees (10 and 13) struck up a fundraising campaign. They scoured the room, wheeled and dealed to try and get as much money in one shot for the ‘best’ kiss of the night. They raised $125. Two kids. Raised $125. To see my husband and I kiss. All this fun competition, inspiring creativity and motivating compassion all came because our emcee showed people how to do it. There is no doubt in my mind that there are so many people out there who do, genuinely, want to help – they just don’t know how, and don’t have time to figure it out. Sometimes they just need to be asked! It’s up to those of us who do know how they can help to show them and make their action easier to perform.
What inspiration have you seen or been part of?
(Oh, and PS, the $125 kiss involved acapella from the bridesmaids and a human pyramid with the groomsmen. That information alone is probably worth you clicking the subscribe link in the sidebar and leaving a comment below. Just sayin’)
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