I spent five minutes this morning performing emergency repairs on my umbrella. Not just because I am cheap, although obviously that is a factor: why pay money for a new umbrella when this one only needs a few new stitches here and there?
But this umbrella represents so much more. I got it as a "free gift" from the American Red Cross when I donated blood for the first time last year. A time when I had two mortgages, with no sign of the old house ever selling. A time when I was so broke I couldn't even pay attention. I've always felt like it was important to give back, to remind yourself not to take your gifts in life for granted. So, lacking cash, I screwed up my courage and went to a local blood drive.
Now I tote that umbrella around as a reminder to myself and others that you don't have to have a lot of money to make a difference in someone's life.
The Red Cross gives away more bling than you can imagine... I have like 20 Red Cross T-shirts. Most of them are pretty cool but after a while I just couldn't take any more - my T-shirt drawer is overflowing. That's when they started with the umbrellas and the lunchboxes and the aprons. The lunchbox is way cool, it's what I use now to bring my lunch to work. Unfortunately I've been too busy / lazy to keep up my platelet donations... I have to get back in the donation groove.
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