Are you family?

Sent out on the Be the Cause newsletter:

It’s that time of the year when we start to get together with our families to give thanks.  There is a lot to be thankful for, undoubtedly, the larger question we face is who do we consider family?  I’m sitting in Seattle visiting my sister-in-law and my 2 ½ year old nephew, and yet I feel related even to the random stranger walking down the street.  Two friends came over today, as they were playing with my nephew one of them said that it felt as if we were all one family.  One family.  (Maybe that’s why I felt no inhibition when I called them five hours before I needed a ride from the airport J ) 

Many talk about charity beginning at home, and how we must take care of our family first, but every single person I meet feels like my family.  If we were to draw the circle of our family as wide as possible, then who would we be willing to neglect?  Is the 2 ½ year old living elsewhere worthy of anything less?  Is he any different?  

I’m fortunate, I have a lot of family.  …and it keeps growing.  One conversation with Nikkie in South Carolina and she immediately becomes my sister.  She’s planning a Food Drive in the Charleston Area.  Maushmi is planning many projects for the holidays in Houston.  Southern California volunteers are planning two projects on Thanksgiving Day. 

The Seva Café volunteers continue to change hearts every week.  This Saturday, another brother, Hip Hop artist Isaac “IZE” Barba will be dropping some music for everyone. 

In the last couple of weeks we revamped our on-line calendar of events and created a 8 minute video on the Walk for Hope.  Some wonder why we work so hard.  I do it for my family.