You are running late for work, trying to dress in a hurry and you pop a button on your shirt. You finally get on the road and traffic is a mess; you seem to catch every single red light. As soon as you walk in the door to your office and before you’ve had your coffee, the boss comes in to question your recent results.
As you sit there, you think “wow, it really sucks to be me today”. Really; in the big scheme of things do you really have it bad?
How I give back:
In addition to being a world renowned blogger* and holding down a full-time paying gig, I am a volunteer for an organization called Guardian ad Litem. I am the voice in court for abused and neglected children who have been assigned to me while they are in the ‘system’.
These children are in the ‘system’ for reasons typically beyond their control. Something pretty bad has happened to them for the state to step in and take over.
Just about every case I see involves drugs and/or sexual abuse. Most of the kids are already in foster care when I become involved. Trust me, the stories are just ugly at times.
You might ask, “why would you volunteer for something like that”? To me, it’s a way to give back in a small but hopefully meaningful way. I do feel I have been blessed and would like to play it forward as much as I can.
There is training required and I was sworn in by a judge. The judge said this is a very noble endeavor; just don’t get discouraged because most of these kids are already in a bad way. You won’t be able to flip a switch and make everything ok; whatever your frame of reference for ‘normal’ is, throw it out the window.
What are the rewards?
It is challenging at times but I feel if I can positively impact just one kid even in the smallest way, it will be a win. Maybe they don’t see it now but hopefully somewhere down the road it makes a difference.
These kids just want to be with their family. Unfortunately, most of these adults don’t know how to be parents and are clueless in how to raise kids. A lot of them are practically kids themselves.
How would you feel when you were 10 years old if someone physically removed you from your house and took you across town to live with strangers. Pretty scary stuff and emotionally unsettling, I can assure you.
The ‘system’ is not a fun place to be in. Most of the kids I see will have trouble making it as a functioning adult.
Being involved at this level does give me perspective. When I think I’m having a crappy day I just have to think what these kids are going through. They didn’t ask for this but they sure have to live it.
Can you make a difference?
How about you; have you told the important ones in your life how much they mean to you? When is the last time you gave them a big hug? Still think you are having a bad day?
The program is always looking for volunteers, do you think you could be someone’s Guardian? It certainly isn’t glamorous or pretty, but all it takes is someone who listens and cares. I find it has made me much less judgemental these days. Regardless of the situation I am less apt to pre-judge before I know the facts.
There are some kids truly hurting out there. Want to lend a helping hand?
Until you walk a mile in their shoes, right?
* Nah, still invisible……..
billdorman 
Holy crap Bill, this post was like a right cross to my right cheek.
Just joshing a bit… But wow, I really admire your work with troubled kids. I did a bit of this way back in the day and trying to get through to these kids was nearly impossible. There was no getting through the emotional scars of what they’ve had to deal with in just the short time they’ve been on the planet.
The more I get to know you, the more I admire you. And understand how people are so drawn to you. You’re just good people and I’m happy to call you a new friend.
Cheers to the journey brother : )
It’s very humbling; I can be silly but these kids are a dose of reality. I can make them laugh and smile at times and sometimes that’s all they need.
It’s been an interesting journey but I do find it rewarding.
I hesitated to roll this one out right after the week I’ve had, but I’m in the middle of a very tough case right now and I felt like writing about this work w/out getting too far in the weeds.
Thanks for stopping by.
Bill, just a suggestion, but you should put your twitter info on the right side bar so folks can click to your Twitter account.
Now I’ve gotts to go find you out in twitterville somewhere…
I will try to get that done if I can figure it out; the talking I can do, the tech stuff takes me getting in there and playing around.
Lemme know if you need a hand with that…I’ll set you up.
Bill, get this blog of WordPress.com and self host! Right, Dino? Then you can add all the cool gizmos and whatchamacalits.
I agree with @soulati, get thee to a self-hosted WordPress blog!
I’ll make you proud; you just wait and see….
Well it’s important work Bill, that’s what having a community of good friends is for…
Bill, you are the angel. 🙂
Thanks Carolyn; this wk has absolutely been crazy and I apologize for not stopping by yet.
I do appreciate your support and comments and just let me know when I win something really cool….:).
Good to see you.
Hi Bill—
I try to remember most of the time how fortunate I am and how good I have it. Most of us are really very lucky. This post is just one more reminder.
Great work you’re doing. Likewise with the “invisible” blog!
Hey Joe, thanks for the kind words.
Ari Herzog did this great write up on my ‘invisible’ blog on Monday and now it’s not so invisible. I might have to come up w/ a new moniker, but I do appreciate the compliment.
So good to see you and I appreciate the comment.
Hi Bill,
I really understand. It’s a wonderful experience when you can find a way to give back. I’m involved in a mentoring program that works with the incarcerated.It’s
very very rewarding and for me part of the good life.
Riley
Hey Riley, good to see you.
I do find it fulfilling and it makes me appreciate what I do have so much more.
I knew this would be a topic that wouldn’t spur in-depth conversations, but it was a window in my life I wanted to share.
I’m seeing you out and about a little more and I think it’s great.
Hope you have a great day.
I love this, Bill. It’s just one more reason that proves what a wonderful person you are. Thanks for sharing friend.
That was a nice thing to say.
Just ask the Rev, none of us are perfect but we are forgiven and I just try to treat other people like I would want to be treated.
Life is a journey and whatever my footprint is I hope I had a positive impact on somebody’s life.
So good to see you and I hope things are going well.
Hi Bill,
That is awesome of you.
You have really picked the one program that is the hardest but the one program in which you can make the largest difference.
You can save the life of kids every day.
Sadly we don’t have that same program in Norway (although I think the “System” is better here so they are better taken care of), but they do of course have other things we can help out with.
I have chosen the less noble approach and started coaching a baseball team. It is something I know and love and it helps people in its own little way.
Hello Daniel, coaching is a great way to have a positive impact on kids. When my two boys were younger I coached them in baseball and soccer and it’s always nice to hear kids from those teams approach me and tell me what fun they had.
As we clunk along this journey called life, you never know what little act might have a profound impact on someone. I would prefer that act to be a positive one.
It is so great to hear from you and I really do appreciate you taking the time to stop by.
I hope your day is going well.
Thanks Bill.
Today has been great so far.
How about yours?
Today has been pretty darn good so far; have already had some positive traction on a couple things we were working on.
Hi Bill
Kudos to you for the work you are doing with these kids. I’m sure you are making the difference.
When I was living and working in the UK I was involved with street kids and girls caught up in prostitution. Great to take them in and see their lives turn around.
Worth all the pain, tears and the great joy of just seeing young lives restored.
Patricia Perth Australia
Society does not like to deal with the uncomfortable. These kids are not throw-aways but they have been beat down so far, most have a very low self esteem of themselves. It’s hard to pull them out of that hole and instill that they really are important and worth something.
It was a real eye opener for me; it was a completely different segment of society I didn’t know that much about.
Kudos to you for the work you did; it doesn’t surprise me.
Good to see you today and thanks for your support this week and for stopping by today. I hope you have a good one.
There is a stigma attached to being in the “system”. Having social workers turn up at your school, 17 different professionals involved in your life, some of whom are too busy or incompetent to even remember your name.
There are wounds that remain open and festering long after you are old enough to stick two fingers up at the parents that let you down, and a system that often went on to compound that failure.
The people that step up to the plate to show you unconditional care and acceptance. Those, who when you act out, are able to judge the behaviour and not the person. Those people who hold your hand and tell you everything going to be ok, call me if you need anything(and actually mean it), when your walking across town with your heart in your mouth, not sure what exactly is going to happen next.
Well…those are the people you remember.
Guardianship comes in many guises, it’s not always court appointed or sworn in, but for those young people caught up in a system and situation not of their own making. Having someone whose sole concern really is them…can be life changing on many different levels. I worked closely with these young people, and at one stage and to some degree, I used to be one. Your a blessing to others Bill, never forget it.
Wow, that is so true; these kids have so many people in and out of their life and having to tell their story over and over and over to total strangers. And if it wasn’t bad enough, these people show up at the school and afterwards everyone wants to know “who was that”?
I do try to be that constant, positive influence in their lives. I also try to be sensitive on my visits as to their surroundings and if they have friends with them. For the most part they are already embarrassed enough I don’t want to add to it.
You’ve hit the nail on the head ma’am and I do appreciate you sharing, more than you know.
I appreciate you and appreciate your support; I hope you have having a fantastic day.
I wondered who those guardians were and now I know. Those kids are fortunate to have you represent them. So great to see another side of you; ahem, am I on the right blog?
I’m trying to find a gig for my daughter and me to volunteer at — she’s a bit too privileged (product of a doting mom) and I need her to see what life is really about. If you have a thought for me, please share.
Ah, that Billy boy is much deeper than we thought…
I’m still silly and goofy but I know when I need to be serious. Many a time I have stood in front of a judge to let them know this is not a throw-away kid and what can we do to help them. It means a lot in the legal system to see these kids represented because it is very, very easy to lock them away when there is no one there for them.
Yes, you found the right blog. I hesitated to publish this one after the crazy week I had, but I’m in the middle of a difficult case right now so it resonated with me.
If she is over 18 I think the Guardian program or something like it is nationwide. Under, she could be a big sister to someone. If it would be difficult for her to commit to something long term, volunteer to serve lunch at a Salvation Army for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Not glamorous, but a dose of reality.
It’s not a bad thing to get your hands dirty.
I am gravitating toward a self-hosted site; I will get there………w/ fancy buttons too…..:)
Good to see you, thanks for stopping by.
You said it isn’t pretty, but I disagree. It’s a beautiful thing you are doing my friend.
It may not be very often you get to see the long term impact of your efforts, but I can promise you that many of children will grow to be adults who took inspiration, and drew confidence, from “the guy who stood up for me when everyone else was pulling me down”.
Kevin, you hit the nail clean on the head
Thanks for stopping by Kevin and I appreciate your kind words. I do think it is a beautiful thing in an ugly situation. And to top it off, you are dealing with kids whose whole life is being shaped by their environment.
Good to see you, and hope things are going well today.
Hey Kevin, tell Wendy this is in response to her comments. My ketchup and cracker dip site doesn’t always have the right buttons. I need to work on that.
If writing is your therapy maybe I can get you to write some of my posts…….:). Back in the day, I used to write a lot; typically letters. I do enjoy it and this has provided a vehicle to do so.
I wasn’t sure what kind of response this post would get, but obviously it touched some people. It’s not glamorous and I have to visit my kids in jail, group homes, you name it. But more than anything I want them to know I am there for them.
I’m sending this thru Kevin because for some reason your comment didn’t have a reply button. Some of my friends are pushing me to get a self-hosted site. I have been looking into it.
Thanks for your comments and I will work on that guest post.
Bill,
I honor the work that you do because not many people would volunteraily put themeself in that situation. A lot of people don’t understand that doing something is much better than saying, “those poor kids.” Being a servant has also given me some clear perspective. Although I don’t have everything I desire, not need, I have a lot more than people in these situations has and it keeps me really humble. How dare I complain about not having enough time to spend with my family, at least I have a family to spend time with.
I wish a lot more people would take the action you have and help to change the lives of the people who need it most. Great post!
Hello my friend, thanks for stopping by.
I was a little hesitant to publish this after the crazy week I’ve had but I’m in the middle of a difficult case and it just resonated with me.
I also wanted to give people the opportunity to see there is some substance to me under all the silliness and joking around.
You make some good points and we really should try to be more thankful for what we have as we have so much more than many.
Good to see you, thanks for commenting and I’m sure I’ll be by your place some time this week; I’ll bring the beer this time……:)
Have a good day.
Bill,
I admire that you work full time, blog here and comment everywhere else AND are a Guardian! I’m in awe!
I once planned to go into social work [years ago] but a very poignant experience showed me in no uncertain terms that it was not my path. In other words, I’ll be an angel in a different way but Kudos to you for being the one who can do it this way!
Lori
I do have to manage my time and even more so now that I have gained a certain level of popularity. My wife said last night “are you addicted to that computer”? Of course, this was a much crazier wk than normal due to Ari’s article.
The comments on your post are loading up my e-mail so it looks like you are having fun. I will certainly be back to help stir things up.
I believe the thing that helps me the most is I am jovial by nature and look for the best. I try to bring this attitude to the kids because most of the time they are just confused and frustrated.
It certainly has been humbling for me and makes me appreciate what I do have, including relationships a whole lot more.
Thanks for breaking away from your party and I’ll make sure to stop and buy some beer on the way over.
Hope your day is going well.
Bill – I commend you for doing what you do. As a kid I was affected by drugs, so I know first hand what devastation can to do to a kid’s life. Thankfully, I was blessed to have my own angels who made it their top interest that I didn’t fall into the cracks, as everyone else grew up with did.
You’re a man with man talents; helping others, being a world-renowned blogger, and comedian. You’re a special guy.
I love it.
I have a lot of family who are living within the very conditions that you described. So I try my best to be the best mentor and example possible to those who look up to me. It’s a daunting task – but we were put here to complete daunting tasks…if you ask me!
PEACE
AND I can juggle 3 balls standing on one leg while twirling a plate on a stick……….
Nah, its just me and if I even remotely act like I’m getting a big head please feel free to call me out.
I do know what you mean, you typically don’t have to look far to see someone going thru this.
Ironically, I have a kid incarcerated where we are trying to find a place that will take him. I went by his mother’s house (not an option) and spoke w/ the step-father. When I gave him my contact number I found out his cousin is my right hand person here at my office and has been for 14 years. I had no idea.
All these kids are in a bad way and you just hope to show somebody does care about them and they can rise above. It’s a hard sell though……
I think of myself as a giver and it pleases me when I can help others with no expectations of receiving anything in return.
I am by no means perfect or close to it, but I do try to be a good person; I do care.
So good to see you and I appreciate you taking the time to stop by. I hope your day has been going well.
I’ve already seen you out and about and I’ll catch up to you when I get back to some of these other posts that popped today.
I consider myself to be a giver as well Bill. I try to give as much as I possible can. From time to money.
I’m so fortunate to be in the place where I am, that I HAVE TO GIVE BACK or I don’t right.
Much props to you once again.
I’ll be out in the humidity in a week, for a week (Disney World)!
Take care!
Disney, huh? It does feel like summer is already here. I’d love to try and catch up w/ you but you probably have the family and stuff planned.
We do appreciate you spending your money in our lovely state; we are all about the economic recovery.
Hope you have a great weekend.
It is important work. When I got engaged to my wife she was working as a social worker in a group home. Seven teenage boys lived there full time and most of them came from middle class homes.
I know a bunch of stories but the one that sticks out to me is the 15 year-old who threatened me. I had gone to the house to pick up my then fiance so that we could out.
While I was waiting for her this 15 year came strutting down the hall and told me that if I hit her he would kick my ass.
I was caught off guard by it because it wasn’t something that I had ever done. The last time I hit a girl was when I was 6 and my dad straightened me out.
But I couldn’t help but feel badly that in his world it seemed “natural” to worry about a man hitting a woman.
I agree it is bad that to him violence was natural. But you know what also struck me, that this young man felt so connected and protective of your wife, that he thought he would set you straight just in case you got any strange ideas, lol.
This is kind of rare for kids in a group home, to make any genuine connection with professionals, especially if they have experienced a few placements.
Your wife was obviously working in a way that impacted these young men, and they were protecting her in the only way they knew how. Ugly but beautiful if that’s possible?
Obviously working in a way that impacted them. Most of these kids are afraid to get attached to anyone because they don’t think it will last, they will be abandoned.
That’s why when I get a case and the kid goes to 4 different group homes and none in the same town I stay with him to be that one constant.
Thanks for coming back J as I know this resonates with you as well. So good to see you.
Ugly but beautiful is the perfect description. There is a tremendous need to help these kids but it is seldom acted upon.
It is very natural to them and it is a totally different sub-culture that most are not exposed to.
When I got into it, they did tell me whatever your frame of reference is for ‘normal’ just forget about it. And that has been very true.
I have never been prejudicial, but this helps me even more to be totally color blind and not using social status as a measuring stick.
These kids can do really stupid stuff and be a total pain in the ass at times but when you read the case files on these kids you wonder how they are even as sane as they are.
It has been rewarding; I look for small victories. I’m glad I volunteered.
Good to see you and thanks for stopping by Jack.
FWIW, what really stuck with me was how many of these kids came from homes with enough money to provide for them.
It was a real wake up call.
Hi, Bill. What you are doing is very admirable and inspiring. It makes me glad to know that there are people like you, Danny and Patricia, among others, who are doing what they can to make a difference. The great thing about being an angel to someone (which you are to many kids) is that you are able to effect an imprint on them that they will carry until adulthood. So, it’s going to become a never-ending link of angels being angels to even more angels. Kudos to you, mate! You are one special person. Not invisible at all.
Kind of like playing it forward in a way. I just hope to show there are people who will treat them w/ respect and they just have to get to a point where they respect themselves. Which is really tough to do because of what they’ve been thru.
The biggest thing emotionally they deal with is embarrassment. They are afraid that someone will find out what is happening to them; or these case managers will show up at school and they will have to explain to their friends who this person is.
I just want these kids to know there is a way out and they don’t have to let their circumstances define them.
It’s tough, but like you said, hopefully at the end of the day it had a positive impact on what has probably been a pretty crappy life.
Thanks so much for coming by; my next post won’t be quite so serious…….:)
I saw your post yesterday, Bill, and it really touched me. I have a friend who recently adopted a baby, but she and her husband went through the foster-to-adopt system, and I remember her stories about how many of those kids had suffered abuse as well.
It must be so tough to see what they go through. I’ll check the organization out. Thank you so much for sharing and letting us know about not just another facet of your character, but about a way to help as well.
And you can probably see why I like dogs so much too. Dogs give you unconditional love and live entirely for the moment. If we could all be more like that what a great place it would be.
Of course, I’m close to that because I have a simple mind like a dog……….:)
It is very tough to see these kids deal with this. The kids two biggest fears are being taken out of the home and the embarrassment they have to deal with because they don’t have a ‘normal’ family. They learn to hide and compartmentalize their emotions very early. They are usually in a pretty hard shell when I get to them.
Thanks for stopping by and my next post won’t be so serious………:)
Bill,
Sometimes truly helping others means getting our hands dirty…and seeing abused and hurting children is about as dirty as it gets, and you’re right there in it my friend.
You delivered this perfectly bud, the perfect lesson for a bunch of us out here who fall into the trap of self pity from time to time. What a wonderful reminder of what really matters.
Proud to know you my friend. May God bless you and the children you serve.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I thought you might appreciate this; I can tell you are a giver too. It’s so easy to get caught up in this race and only think about yourself.
Sometimes reaching out and it can be the smallest thing that makes the biggest impact.
It’s challenging, frustrating but very rewarding.
Thanks for stopping by and best of luck on your journey.
Hi Bill,
Great to see that you’re a giver in the true sense of the word. When I was in college I was helping underpriviliged children with their homework three nights a week and it was amazing to see them make progress everyday. It also made me realize how damn lucky I am to have had a carefree youth in a warm family.
While it takes a lot of time and energy I’m sure these are the experiences we will remember in our final days.
Wim
It is a way to give back and sometimes it’s that one person believing in the kid that gives him the confidence to achieve.
Sometimes I wonder what my legacy will be and I don’t need a street or building named after me, but if my presence and influence was that fork in the road for someone in a positive way that would mean a lot.
Good to see you Wim, hope your weekend is going well and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Bill, it’s amazing the power that one person can have over another, and you’re living in the cross-roads with these kids – seeing the negative impact that can happen when someone uses that power against them and then being the positive role model and the person who stands up for them and believes in them.
Thank you for sharing this, Bill. I enjoy a peek behind the curtains of the professional you.
For me, writing is totally therapy. Whenever I’ve got something on my mind that I need to work through, I turn to writing. And what a great place you’ve got to not only write about it, but to get feedback as well. Yes – definitely use it to your advantage – you’ve got a group of people who are willing to support you in it!
This is one of those “no one’s ever seen it before so you’re stealing it posts” right? I tease like Jayme because wow is this interesting and different Bill.
Skipping the comment bombs as I’d be hear all day as everyone shared such good stories. I have a friend who works in this field, others whose lives have been impacted in such ways.. it really puts things into perspective, as I’ve attempted to blog before. Really liked Jack and Stacey’s exchange, very illustrative of just how differently some lives can be. Every time I complain about work or money or my struggles, gotta remind myself to be thankful I have a job and friends and family, am much luckier than others. And to not whine so much (ala Frank’s comment) never mind get out there and make a difference. FWIW.
I don’t think we will see too many posts like this in the neighborhoods we play in but it does seem people have a propensity to share a little bit more about themselves in here.
I do take my role as a Guardian very serious and I’m in the middle of a very tough case so it just kind of resonated with me.
I do find it fulfilling and whoever is keeping track of the gold stars, hopefully this is getting me one on the right side of the ledger.
Good to see you Davina and I think we’ve been tripping all over each other this week but no spirited exchanges but we know where to find each other.
I do appreciate your friendship and support; you da best.
Glad to see you writing about GAL, Bill, and super-excited you have stuck with the program.
Well, looked who stopped by the house. I really did intend for this blog to be invisible until I find my blogger’s voice and how I can incorporate into my business. Of course, imagine me being social and having people show up anyway, huh?
Yes, I’m still hanging in w/ the program and we all know who was the tipping point to get me there. Thanks for taking the iniative to make that happen.
Great article for you in the Ledger; looks like we are running on parallel paths w/ the Chain of Lakes Complex and I think we can both be successful.
Good to see you buddy and when the locals start dropping by, the cloak of invisibility really falls away………..:)
Huge respect for this work you do Bill – nothing for me to add really.
Namaste.
Thanks for stopping by though; I did feel this post would be more of an informational piece than a back and forth conversational one. However, I am in the middle of a difficult case so the message kind of resonated with me and I wanted to get it out.
Good to see you and thanks for the follow. I’ll see you around.
Bill, I’m very impressed with you! I had no idea that there was this ‘other side’ to you that really pursued such a noble cause. I doff my hat to you sir!
Now, let’s talk about ‘crappy days’. I have days sometimes which an average person would qualify as crappy. That’s fine, except I wouldn’t qualify it like that. To me, each day comes under the category ‘blessing’. Each day is a gift, a series of opportunities to shine and be the best person you can possibly be in this world, for this world. To then undermine it because your boss said something off-colour, or someone cut you up whilst driving, doesn’t make sense to me.
Crappiness is in the eye of the beholder. One crappy day to some is a beautiful day to others. I’m usually found in the latter group 🙂
I agree Stu, each day is a gift and a series of opportunities present themselves. Don’t worry about ‘what if’ or ‘why don’t I have that’ but be thankful for what you do have and the difference you can make.
This was a little deeper than most of the social media fare, but I do notice people tend to talk about things in their lives that define them so I wanted to share. Yes, I am happy go lucky, but there are things important to me.
Good to see you buddy and hope your weekend went well. I will catch up with you soon.
I almost started crying…seriously!
No crying allowed…….I know this isn’t the typical social media or tech product post we see in our arena. However, it’s part of who I am so I thought I’d share it.
Thanks for coming by Brankica, I do appreciate you.
Hope your neck is getting better. I’ll see you this wk.
Hi Bill,
While I’ve been checking out your site for the last week or so, it is nice to have my first comment here be on such an excellent and heartfelt post! That’s a really amazing thing you are doing, and you are to be commended. It sounds both challenging and rewarding, as all the best endeavors are. Of course, nonprofit work is all about the value you give to others, but one of the true rewards it gives back is a reminder to be grateful for what you do have. Just reading your post was a nice reminder in and of itself.
A tip of the hat to you for your selfless work!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I’m glad you found one of my post were commenting on.
Yes, it is certainly very challenging at times but I do like to show the judges and others in the system my ‘kid’ does have someone out there who cares for him and will speak on their behalf.
I wasn’t sure this would be an appropriate post for this arena but it’s turned out ok.
Good to see you and hope you take the time to come back again. Best of luck to you on your journey.
Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things we can do in our lives. I have volunteered from the moment I was old enough to. I guess I was just brought up with en ethic about it that I understood and it led me to take action. I think a lot of people would like to volunteer somewhere but maybe don’t take action, or maybe don’t know what they woul dlike to do or how to start it. There are websites that will show you the way, folks.
Enjoy the journey.
Good for you Mandy; if you are volunteering for the right reasons it is a noble endeavor indeed.
If I volunteer for something I want to bring value; I don’t want anyone to ever think I have some hidden agenda and only doing it to promote myself. I am perfectly ok with giving w/out any expectations of receiving something in return.
It has been interesting to say the least, but very rewarding nonetheless. Thanks so much for coming by to say hello.
Bill, I hate that I missed this post when you hit publish. What a gift. I’m glad I’m here now and like everyone else has said, what a nice side of you! I sort of knew it was in there, but I’m thrilled to see it here on your ‘not so invisible’ blog.
I admire the Guardian ad Litem program greatly and the work that you and so many others do. Anytime we can give back to others, in whatever way we feel moved, all while doing our day jobs and climbing the blog king ladder…well that’s pretty impressive stuff.
Thank you for what you’re doing, Bill. Keep it up!
Best,
Erica
See, I told you I was invisible……:) and what’s this sort of knew it was in there; man after your tough love and sort of knew I can tell I need to be on my toes with you.
I was somewhat naive when I signed on w/ the Guardian program; when they say throw whatever your frame of reference for normal is out the door, they weren’t kidding. Some of the things I deal with just make my jaw drop.
I do find it fulfilling however and I hope I am making a difference one life at a time, right.
Thanks for much for coming by; I know it’s one of many out there but it’s always good to see you.
I also enjoyed our phone conversation and you helped me with a couple ‘things’ that will help me get more organized.
I’ll see you around this wk.
Hey Bill,
Loved the post. It is truly important that we give back and how we give back is totally irrelevant as long as you think about it and do it once in a while. I admire the way you inspire everyone to be just a well renowned blogger* and a wonderful human being!
Thanks so much for coming by and leaving a comment; I know it’s hard for some to do just that but I appreciate any and all.
I think if you can give/volunteer with really no expectations of a payback it puts you in a better place and you will probably be rewarded anyway.
So good to see you and hope you can make it back sometime.
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