A year ago, I had quit my job, was participating in my "last" UN week, preparing to head off to Paris and so excited about the new life ahead of me. Like many things in life, things didn't exactly go as planned. I quit my job but my boyfriend quit me. I spent a lot of time in Paris but I still came home to DC. I thought I was done with divine nuttiness of global philanthropy but this morning I find myself packing for another week in NYC. So different, but very much the same.
For once though I'm excited about the "sameness". Next week in September is one of my favorite of the year. It is filled with amazing conversations, pledges and commitments around how we can all work together to make the world a better place. Ten years ago, when the MDGs were first imagined, I don't think anyone would have thought that true progress would have been made on reducing child mortality rates, putting more girls into school and finding innovative ways to fight global hunger. But we have. There is still so much more to do (as Bono pointed out today) but this whole "let's work together for the common good of humanity-thing" is actually succeeding and I'm proud to do my little bit.
My clients and friends will make world-changing announcements this week. (I know, it is an overused phrase, but nearly $2 billion for girls and women in the developing world is game changing.)
This time last year, I rededicated myself to "helping make great change possible". I get up most days and ask myself if I have been true to this idea; and for the most part I think I have been. Sometimes it comes in little ways (writing a press release; spending Saturday on the phone with a client advising them on how to position their programs or ideas); sometimes it is about money (increasing my donations); sometimes it is just in a simple action (directions for a stranger).
So I think I have, but next week will also serve as a reminder that I have not done enough - yet.
