Blog Action Day #BAD13

*I'm having a couple of cause-themed days here on the blog. Timing....what are you gonna do?
**I am participating in Blog Action Day 2013. The theme is Human Rights. I submit the following for your consideration.

How often do we contemplate the issue of Human Rights?

I'm not sure I do all that often. Which seems funny to me since I am a human and I don't want anyone to take my rights away.

But I am an American, and as such I probably take my rights and freedoms a bit for granted. Also, I don't watch the news very often so I'm not hearing about every human rights violation that happens around the world.

I don't have my head buried in the sand, though. I do know people's human rights are threatened all the time. Still.

A "human right" is a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person.

Every. One.

Some things I learned:

"The United States has a vibrant civil society and media that enjoy strong constitutional protections. The victims of abuse are typically the weakest and most vulnerable in US society: immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, children, the elderly, the poor, and prisoners."

"The US incarcerates more people than any other country. Practices contrary to human rights principles, such as the death penalty, juvenile life-without-parole sentences, and solitary confinement are common and often marked by racial disparities."

- Human Rights Watch

"Approximately 27 million people are currently enslaved in the human trafficking trade around the world." - DoSomething.org

The War on Terror has brought about a while new perspective on Human Rights violations. According to a GlobalIssues.org article, Amnesty International stated in 2004:

"Violence by armed groups and increasing violations by governments have combined to produce the most sustained attack on human rights and international humanitarian law in 50 years. This was leading to a world of growing mistrust, fear and division."

I had not thought about the complexities of the War on Terror in this light before.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. - UN Human Rights

I wish declaring this in an official document automatically made it so.

I hope this little post on my little blog might raise a little more awareness for the issue of Human Rights. The process of learning more in order to put it together certainly raised my awareness.

Blog Action Day is a free annual event, that has run since 2007. Its aim is to unite the world’s bloggers by posting about the same issue, on the same day, in order to raise awareness and trigger a positive global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all, raises awareness or even helps fund not-for-profits associated to the theme issue. The theme for 2013 is Human Rights. Please follow the #BAD13 hashtag on social media to find more posts from other bloggers around the world!

I Am Fierce

Whatever fierceness I have in me comes from Love.

I am loved fiercely, and I love fiercely in return.

I've written ad nauseam about my PTSD, anger, fears and worries as regards Mark's last major health crisis (or his health in general). Those are the things I'm not proud of, that I struggle with and have to work through.

But there was something else. Something I had forgotten about, or failed to see or was overshadowed by the fear, until an email popped into my inbox.

It asked if there was a time when I was fierce. And I realized that, yeah, there absolutely was.

The most fierce I've ever had to be was when doctors told me I should prepare for the possibility that my husband was dying.

I was fierce when I had to face my children and answer their questions about their dad.

I was fierce while juggling family members.

I was fierce when pushing for information from hospital staff.

I was fierce when I absolutely had to focus on my own needs.

I had to muster up fierceness when I was forced to tell my husband the doctors thought he might be dying.

Mark and I were both fierce when signing living will/power of attorney papers.

I was fierce by insisting my husband should go home.

I was fierce when letting the tears flow.

FACING MY WORST FEAR made me fierce!

In the moments, I just did these things. At the time, I could not see the fierceness in my actions.

Even though I nearly burst into tears after every few sentences writing this, I see now how I was fierce. I see now that I still am.

I am sharing this with you as part of The Traveling Blue Wig Project. It is to spread the word about the Clever Girls Collective's Fierce Fund, which is seeking to donate $20,000 in support of nonprofit initiatives that celebrate, encourage, and elevate women and girls.

But they need YOUR help! There are three causes the Clever Girls want your help in choosing from: CoachArt, Dress for Success and Girls Who Code. You have until next Monday, October 21, 2013 to get your vote in.

Do you have a story of a time you were Fierce?

Tell me about it, and then go vote to support women and girls.

Visit the #FierceFund to learn more about this girl-power project!

beCAUSE

This summer I've been talking about food banks.

I participated in the Nestle Juicy Juice Fruit for All Project. I walked with Run. Blog. Give.

But why do I feel so passionately about helping to feed the hungry?

You'd think I'd be more interested in medical research of Diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and blindness.

I do care about those things. But those problems are more abstract to me.

If I'm being completely honest, maybe I'm a little cynical about those things.

Causes having to do with researching to find cures for diseases are noble and good, and of course I appreciate them.

But hunger, a lack of a basic human need, has more of a pull for me.

It probably has something to do with my strong sense of fairness. My brain just can't comprehend how letting a needy person go hungry is ever alright.

How can we expect people to reach their full potential in life if they are struggling just to have their basic needs met?

I don't have much; less than most, more than some. But I have a home, I have clothes, I have clean water and I have food.

Everyone should have those things. At least.

I'm grateful to not know what it feels like to be hungry.

How desperate it must feel to not know where your next meal will come from!

Giving away some of my food is easy. IT'S SO EASY.

It just makes sense to me. Sharing some of my food, and asking others to do so as well, is something I can do.

I have been the recipient of many generosities in my life. I have to pay it forward somehow. I can't cure disease, but I can give to those less fortunate.

We must do what we can. It's good for the soul, the heart, the world.

It helps me feel like I'm enough.