This is the time of the year when all of us think about giving and receiving. Although I firmly believe it is better to give then to receive, many people are the recipients of gifts they least expect.
Giving comes in all shapes and sizes, sometimes it’s financial sometimes it is something of material or tangible goods. The most favorite time is when a child opens a wrapped present presumably left by Santa under a tree in their warm comfortable home. This isn’t always the case for many individuals. There are a tremendous number of people who are homeless, sitting in hospitals or simply just don’t have the means to purchase necessities to have a better quality of life. This group includes people who can’t afford hearing aids or eyeglasses, not to disregard people who need other items such as clothes, food, wheelchairs, walkers or even prosthesis.
When it comes to receiving gifts, I have found the best gifts I continue to receive are letters or phone calls to say thank you for making a difference in a person’s life. Giving the gift of hearing by donating hearing aids or having someone fit with a new pair of eye glasses. It’s touching & rewarding when you know a child can hear their parents or fit in socially with friends. It’s also wonderful when grandparents who have reached the golden age and are losing their hearing are able to have conversations due to a gift of hearing aids. Not to forget all men, women & children who benefit from gifts of necessities which will help them in every facet of life especially work & social activities.
As you this question, what is important to you if you were in dire straits and didn’t have the tools needed to function in society. What becomes important to you at this juncture?
Ask yourself “What have I given of myself to make the world and my home a better place”. Do the materialistic goods create a life enhancing experience to the receiver which will greatly impact the quality of life? Have you recently sorted through your old clothes or other items from your home or business and donated it to a worthy cause?
It is time to take inventory of every area of our lives, discarding items that simply collect dust. It is time to clean house!
I close this note knowing I have done my part to share, give and receive in many ways where there is someone whose life has been impacted. Bring on the New Year with new beginnings!!!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Well, here we are, it’s the end of October with so much happening! On October 20th I literally went Over The Edge for charity rappelling down the side of a 6 story building in Garden City, LI, NY.
What an AWESOME experience it was. I must say I’d have loved to do it a few more times that is how much fun the experience was. There are many lessons to be learned from this experience.
Fear is top of the list. Many of us face an assortment of fears such as getting on a plane, heights, driving a car and simply just going about the day. Why is it we possess a fear of doing things? . Here is what I consider a key point to overcoming this obstacle. You must challenge yourself to do everything and anything, providing of course its safe, focus on something other then what it is your fear is. It’s also important to trust yourself permission to make it easy.
I realize it’s all words I’m speaking but once you put these simple things into action over and over it will start to work for you. as I’ve learned, Choose to Choose. What will your choice be?
Another factor is excuses. What is yours? Many people, in my opinion, make excuses why they can’t do something or anything. There is no point in listing those excuses. What I will simply say……”Get Over It!” I spend more time looking for adventure & challenge to keep busy and active as I continue my journey through life. I am by no means perfect, but I don’t make excuses for the things that will stop me from improving the quality of life! So folks, simply take action on the positive alternatives instead of hindering yourself from what will be the best outcome for much more fulfillment.
The last item I’d like to mention in this blog is Trust. It’s not always so easy in this department. When I got to the rooftop of that 6 story building, getting hooked up to a series of ropes and other safety devices, I still had to trust the instructors. The individuals who are educated and trained with rappelling, the people I had to take a risk and trust my life with. Of course our everyday lives come with a series of circumstances where we either trust someone or we don’t for its various reasons.
Once you get out of your comfort some, learn to trust yourself to make the right choices & take a few calculated risks I personally feel and have experienced being rappelled to a higher choice of outcome.
Okay folks…as Nestle Ice Tea cliché always said…”.Take the Plunge!” Rappelling off a 6 story building may not be your kind of activity, there are other ways to rappel yourself to a better quality of life by making life enhancing choices, taking risks, giving yourself permission to do whatever it is your choose to do and most of all maintain a positive attitude.
What an AWESOME experience it was. I must say I’d have loved to do it a few more times that is how much fun the experience was. There are many lessons to be learned from this experience.
Fear is top of the list. Many of us face an assortment of fears such as getting on a plane, heights, driving a car and simply just going about the day. Why is it we possess a fear of doing things? . Here is what I consider a key point to overcoming this obstacle. You must challenge yourself to do everything and anything, providing of course its safe, focus on something other then what it is your fear is. It’s also important to trust yourself permission to make it easy.
I realize it’s all words I’m speaking but once you put these simple things into action over and over it will start to work for you. as I’ve learned, Choose to Choose. What will your choice be?
Another factor is excuses. What is yours? Many people, in my opinion, make excuses why they can’t do something or anything. There is no point in listing those excuses. What I will simply say……”Get Over It!” I spend more time looking for adventure & challenge to keep busy and active as I continue my journey through life. I am by no means perfect, but I don’t make excuses for the things that will stop me from improving the quality of life! So folks, simply take action on the positive alternatives instead of hindering yourself from what will be the best outcome for much more fulfillment.
The last item I’d like to mention in this blog is Trust. It’s not always so easy in this department. When I got to the rooftop of that 6 story building, getting hooked up to a series of ropes and other safety devices, I still had to trust the instructors. The individuals who are educated and trained with rappelling, the people I had to take a risk and trust my life with. Of course our everyday lives come with a series of circumstances where we either trust someone or we don’t for its various reasons.
Once you get out of your comfort some, learn to trust yourself to make the right choices & take a few calculated risks I personally feel and have experienced being rappelled to a higher choice of outcome.
Okay folks…as Nestle Ice Tea cliché always said…”.Take the Plunge!” Rappelling off a 6 story building may not be your kind of activity, there are other ways to rappel yourself to a better quality of life by making life enhancing choices, taking risks, giving yourself permission to do whatever it is your choose to do and most of all maintain a positive attitude.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Just Blogging Cureent Thoughts
Hello To YOU!
I have no idea about blogging, what it is, what to write or even why we have one!
From what I understand you write what’s on your mind, events of the moment, about life, work & relationship, even nonsense. So…..here we go!
Let’s start by talking about attitude, a positive energized attitude. We all have a tendency to focus on something negative. As it’s been said negativity produces negative results. When you take a negative situation, turning it into a solution action taking positive experience you’ll have a clearer vision with an enjoyable outcome. Trust me, it’s about putting your energy into what we have not what we don’t’ have. Sure it sounds easy, but with some effort on your part and believing in the better good of it all you’ll see the results over time.
On my recent trip to Italy & Munich Germany as difficult as it is with a vision challenge, it was a thrill to be in a place so romantic and traveled by many people. I have discovered over the years how people react and respond based on how you deal with your own challenges. It’s not that I revel in a spotlight but simply it’s great to notice how many people are willing to go out of their way to make sure you have every opportunity of enjoyment as they do.
Part of my problem is my corny sense of humor which in most cases some folks don’t know what to make of me! My personal kick is making people feel more comfortable around me with an attitude of “Hey, I’m no different then you are, just need a little support” and being a power of example that I can do anything I choose to do.
Okay, so I was not able to neither see the beautiful fresco’s on the church walls or the many splendid colors on the buildings nor take in the details of statues so what? Luckily, my significant other gladly describes things to me. You also learn to utilize your other senses like smelling the aromas of food and nature, listing to the guides or sounds around you, tasting the epicurean delights or simply touching surfaces of structures and statues.
Well now here is the flip side of it all…..listening to all the obnoxious sounds of car horns or motor scooter engines (it’s great if you have a hearing aid or cochlear since you can shut it off), smelling the unwanted scents (ugh!) or, sorry folks, touching something you wish you hadn’t (yucky). Regardless, there are many ways to enjoying everything life has to offer, it’s simply up to you, how you choose to make the best despite having a vision or hearing challenge, and of course your attitude.
I’ve said before, this is simply an opinion and thought process of my own. You can agree or disagree, life offers many choices. Ask yourself from time to time, good/bad, happiness/sadness, health/sickness or positive/negative. It’s all about staying positive in my mind.
About the Foundation for Sight & Sound, the Help America Hear Program has become a success of its own. We have had many inquiries from around the country for hearing aids and have to date fitted 4 people. We are thrilled to give the ‘Gift of Hearing” to individuals who fall through the cracks. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated.
This summer if you haven’t already started in the past, I strongly recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your precious vision. As for your hearing, it’s not only how loud you play your music or the loud noises from fireworks and machinery but the length of time you subject yourself to them.
Okay, I’ve done enough babbling. Until next time………..
Mitch
I have no idea about blogging, what it is, what to write or even why we have one!
From what I understand you write what’s on your mind, events of the moment, about life, work & relationship, even nonsense. So…..here we go!
Let’s start by talking about attitude, a positive energized attitude. We all have a tendency to focus on something negative. As it’s been said negativity produces negative results. When you take a negative situation, turning it into a solution action taking positive experience you’ll have a clearer vision with an enjoyable outcome. Trust me, it’s about putting your energy into what we have not what we don’t’ have. Sure it sounds easy, but with some effort on your part and believing in the better good of it all you’ll see the results over time.
On my recent trip to Italy & Munich Germany as difficult as it is with a vision challenge, it was a thrill to be in a place so romantic and traveled by many people. I have discovered over the years how people react and respond based on how you deal with your own challenges. It’s not that I revel in a spotlight but simply it’s great to notice how many people are willing to go out of their way to make sure you have every opportunity of enjoyment as they do.
Part of my problem is my corny sense of humor which in most cases some folks don’t know what to make of me! My personal kick is making people feel more comfortable around me with an attitude of “Hey, I’m no different then you are, just need a little support” and being a power of example that I can do anything I choose to do.
Okay, so I was not able to neither see the beautiful fresco’s on the church walls or the many splendid colors on the buildings nor take in the details of statues so what? Luckily, my significant other gladly describes things to me. You also learn to utilize your other senses like smelling the aromas of food and nature, listing to the guides or sounds around you, tasting the epicurean delights or simply touching surfaces of structures and statues.
Well now here is the flip side of it all…..listening to all the obnoxious sounds of car horns or motor scooter engines (it’s great if you have a hearing aid or cochlear since you can shut it off), smelling the unwanted scents (ugh!) or, sorry folks, touching something you wish you hadn’t (yucky). Regardless, there are many ways to enjoying everything life has to offer, it’s simply up to you, how you choose to make the best despite having a vision or hearing challenge, and of course your attitude.
I’ve said before, this is simply an opinion and thought process of my own. You can agree or disagree, life offers many choices. Ask yourself from time to time, good/bad, happiness/sadness, health/sickness or positive/negative. It’s all about staying positive in my mind.
About the Foundation for Sight & Sound, the Help America Hear Program has become a success of its own. We have had many inquiries from around the country for hearing aids and have to date fitted 4 people. We are thrilled to give the ‘Gift of Hearing” to individuals who fall through the cracks. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated.
This summer if you haven’t already started in the past, I strongly recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your precious vision. As for your hearing, it’s not only how loud you play your music or the loud noises from fireworks and machinery but the length of time you subject yourself to them.
Okay, I’ve done enough babbling. Until next time………..
Mitch
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Welcome to Sight & Sound Insights
Hello and welcome to the Sight & Sound Insights blog. This blog is part of the Foundation for Sight & Sound, a registered 501c3 not for profit organization. From time to time I will post some thoughts, stories or certain issues relating to vision & hearing challenges.
Your feedback is welcome. Political and religious views are not part of the grand scheme of things. Feel free to ask questions, make comments on anything related to Sight & Sound and most all your experiences dealing with vision & hearing loss.
Thanks so much for being a part of this community.
Mitch Shapiro
President/CEO
Foundation for Sight & Sound
Your feedback is welcome. Political and religious views are not part of the grand scheme of things. Feel free to ask questions, make comments on anything related to Sight & Sound and most all your experiences dealing with vision & hearing loss.
Thanks so much for being a part of this community.
Mitch Shapiro
President/CEO
Foundation for Sight & Sound
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