A return trip

Hey, there! I'm sure you've noticed my absence. Clearly, I had OD'd on the Social Media Networks and needed more of a break than I thought. So I really did take one. But now I've returned. And I've returned with an inspiring message from a writer I know who lives in New York but spends a lot of time abroad--often in poverty-stricken countries, such as Africa.

In her new assignment--based on a grant she received from The Pulitzer Center--she'll be writing now about Haiti's recovery after the earthquake. Something she wrote in this blog post caught my eye, and I just had to share it here with you. She wrote:

"There is a Haitian saying, “Dèyè mòn, gen mòn.” Beyond mountains, there are more mountains. Once you have survived one obstacle, there is always another to overcome. Yes, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with a tragic history of ills, both natural and manmade, but her people, undaunted by the cruel blows of fate, continue to climb."

It is true. We will always have obstacles to overcome. That is life. And with stories like the ones my writer friend, Lisa Armstrong, will be writing for The Pulitzer Center, you see the greater good. You will see the value of embracing obstacles as lessons in growth. You will see your challenges in a more positive light. You will remember that no matter how bad you think you have it, there is always someone who has it worse. And if someone else has it worse than you, what is there to complain about?

Certainly, we can consider ourselves lucky; we are not Haitians trying to build a place to sleep out of whatever we can find beside the rubble--wood, sheets, plastic, blankets, as Lisa reports. We have a warm space to rest our weary bodies. We do not have to rely on relief organizations to feed our starving bellies. And even if we without a job at the moment, we know if we look hard enough, we will find exactly what we need. Even the Haitians, Lisa says, believe this.

And I know in my heart and in my soul that if the people who are overcoming the most natural of disasters can believe in a future, then so can I. How about you?

(You can find more of Lisa's inspiring stories from Haiti here.)

Recovery: Using reminders

You may notice that I repeat myself here at BIKE WITH JACKIE. There's good reason for that. I don't mean to bore you. What I'm doing is giving you reminders.

Without reminders, we all too easily forget that which we want to do, think we should do, or really, really need to do in order to create change.

During Recovery periods, the expectation is that change will occur. The old will be made new. Think of what's happening in Haiti right now. The earthquake destroyed Port Au Prince and other parts of the countryside. Buildings have toppled. Lives have been lost. Lives have been altered. In order for the people who live there to find peace again, Recovery from the resulting wounds will be necessary. It will take time.

This is the same process for anyone who hopes to overcome a loss or tragedy, or for anyone having to give up something for whatever reason. You must adapt. You must relearn. You must accept your new role or new reality. Sometimes, the only way to do that is to be reminded of how this can be done. The people of Haiti are not there yet. But when they arrive at the moment when they can begin true Recovery, they, too, will need reminders of how this is possible.

So this week, we'll focus on reminders you can use to create the change you need in your life right now.

Do you have any idea what they might be?

Recovery: Thinking of others, Haitians, for example

Today, let's focus our attention on what's happening in Haiti.

How you can help the earthquake victims:

American Red Cross

AmeriCares

National Nurses United

Doctors Without Borders