Friday is a time for celebrating our friends. Originally, we were publishing an interview with one specific Give A Brick friend but I’ve decided instead to dedicate today’s post to all our Give A Brick friends. I also need to apologise. As you know already from some of the fund raising videos I’ve put together, I like to have fun. I said as much over at Heather’s Shades of a Dream blog.

However, I went for a meal with my parents and siblings last night and told my mum about yesterday’s Thoughtful Thursday post and she was horrified. My mum doesn’t do the web. My dad reads and prints out any important emails she receives. She has a mobile phone but uses it so infrequently, she needs a lesson every time she turns it on.

But what she loses on technology, she more than makes up for in developing relationships. When I told her that I’d posted an April Fool’s Day Joke on the Give A Brick website and that only explanation I could give was that it was my first April blogging, she looked really disappointed and said a load of stuff including words like ‘jeopardize’  I tried to explain that it was all meant in a spirit of fun and that since I knew the people on here, I could apologise to them personally. That didn’t cut much ice

So I now feel terrible. What started out as just a bit of fun has ended up with me thinking about all the fabulous people I’ve met since starting this adventure. The outrage expressed on our behalf by some of you lovely people was really touching. Dave emailed me all ready and set to mobilize his list, Matthew very kindly decided to give (another) brick, Ralph risked investigation from the Secret Service by lambasting HRH The Queen on Facebook, whilst Lee, Victor and Karen offered encouragement, support and prayer. The latter I feel particularly bad about because I can’t help but think of Lee and God having a chat about this and the whole time, God knows it’s just a silly prank.

So, I’m hoping you might please accept my apologies. I am really very sorry and truth be told, if I could have the benefit of Harry Potter’s time turner, I’d do things differently. However, as a close friend very wisely told me, “No, you can’t change time!” so instead, this is me taking action in the only way I know. Give A Brick is a charity built on relationships, openness and honesty. As such, and with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that my actions yesterday contradicted that openness I’ve always been so proud of. Sorry I promise I’ll never again let my motivation for having fun cloud the way I treat my friends. Please forgive me.

Following the theme of today’s blog post, today’s Instant Inspiration video is about love. Enjoy and remember to add a comment at the end to let us know what you think

“Love is a friendship set to music.”

It was E. Joseph Cossman who penned this immortal line. Given that he’s also credited with saying, “Square meals often make round people” I might ordinarily hold little store by his wisdom. However, the more I think about this line, the more I love it.

I met a sad young man today who told me he doesn’t believe in love. He doesn’t believe in hate either. He prefers to live life in neutral. I’m not sure what books he’s been reading but he suggested to me that there is no ultimate truth and that everything is permissible. When asked to discuss this using real world examples such as the murder of a pet, incest and theft, everything soon became a little less permissible

Word aerobics aside (and yes, I enjoy a lively debate) I left his company feeling sad. He was last to leave the classroom and did so looking crushed.As he was about to leave, I called him by name and when he looked at me, I gave him my nicest, most genuine smile and told him (with honesty) that it was lovely to meet him. My hope and prayer is that this young man will get a generous dose of love sometime soon to help him change his perspective.

By a funny coincidence (and you know already what I think of them ) the first thing I read when I checked my email later that day was this:

“We love because God first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

There was a paragraph accompanying this little line and this is what it said:

It’s all very simple. God is love. He is love’s origin, example and architect. I love because he loved me first. I know how to love because he has demonstrated it. I can love because he made me in his likeness and to share his character. He is the fountain, the motivation, and the pinnacle of love. I love because he does, first, last, and always.

And this in turn made me wonder … perhaps I wasn’t so off the mark when I ‘hoped and prayed’ that that young man would get a generous measure of love dumped in his life. Maybe someone will smile at him when he wakes up tomorrow morning? Maybe that will start to feed the seed of love in his life? What about you?

“To love is nothing.
To be loved is something.
To love and be loved is everything.” – Author Unknown

P.S. If you’d like another dose of love related chatter, why not watch today’s Instant Inspiration video? It’s called ‘Love Is …’

After the devastation in Haiti last month, we saw an influx of famous faces raising their heads to help make a difference. Artists such as Cold Play and the Arctic Monkeys were seen using EBay to auction items and Simon Cowell has again used his power to produce an artist packed charity version of REM’s classic Everybody Hurts.

However, poet Benjamin Zephaniah has queried the validity of such efforts. He questioned their motives and whilst acknowledging that “they obviously raise money and so one can say that it is a bit of good, and you can’t ignore a bit of good” it seems he would prefer they work together to stop the problem in the first place.

Speaking at the Concert for Haiti at Congress House in London, Zephaniah said,

“They call you a militant for being political and they think they are going to change the world by doing Comedy Relief [sic] I have nothing against those people – well, I have, but I don’t think we should get rid of them, they do something – but when I talk about stopping the problem in the first place, then I’m called a militant.”

Although one can’t help but question the timing of his cynicism, it’s easy to understand his problem. Tragic stuff happens all over the world on a daily basis. Who has the right to decide which tragedies deserve celebrity support? And would the support be so forth coming if the cameras were left at home?

The same debate raged after the disappearance of Madeline Mccann in Portugal almost three years ago. This high-profile disappearance sparked a national appeal but what about the other thousands of children who dissapear each year? Who sparks a hunt for them?

With such high-profile support, it can leave us mere mortals wondering what difference can we make. Unless the world suddenly goes mad, you and I will remain infamous only in our own households. So is there any point trying to make a difference?

I of course believe the answer is a massively noisy, “Yes!” otherwise why write this post You can make a huge difference today. You could help by buying Simon Cowell’s charity record and boost his chances of reaching a million sales. Or you could cut out the middle man entirely and donate the cost of the single to the Disasters Emergency Committee Haiti appeal.

And our discussion does not end with Haiti. All around you, quiet individuals are making a difference. Most will remain anonymous and appreciated only by the people they help. You’ll read no glowing accolades and they’ll receive no knighting from the Queen. But does this stop our quiet heroes? No. They are motivated by something more powerful than fame and glory. They do it in the name of love.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Can charity motivated by anything other than love be effective? Of course. Whilst you might like to question their motives, no one can deny that celebrity support of a charity makes a difference. But there is a better way. Arthur Rubinstein said, “Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.”

We all need love. Without love we are incomplete. Let’s make a difference today and love.

“If you have love in your life it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is, it’s not enough.” – Ann Landers

Over to you. What do you think?

Please add a comment and retweet.
It’s just another one of the ways you can Give A Brick and then tell your friends

photo credit: Katayun

Give A Brick works to support children, young people, the elderly and those experiencing financial hardship. If you enjoyed this post, please Give A Brick (just £1 ) then ask your friends to do the same.

Give A Brick is a UK registered charity #1121744

Have you seen our 1 Minute Motivators yet? They’re a great way to start your day