The Humanity Blog

2009-06-30T19:24:00.002-04:00

Save This Date -- Really!

We know, we know. Everyone says, “Save The Date.” Like their event is the only thing to do in South Florida or something. But you may want to consider grabbing your pencil, or maybe pen, for this date. July 7, 2009. Here’s why: You can help kids to stop bullying in our local schools – AND meet some great people and listen to some terrific live music. All this for just $10. That seems like a date worth marking down. You’ll also be able to purchase food and drink at very reasonable prices, if you want, at the historic Downtowner Saloon. That community-minded establishment is the host for the grand finale to our “Freedom from Bullying Parties” over the 4th of July weekend. ALL of this money, every $10 we raise, will go to help us complete The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying program for South Florida elementary school students. These are the details for your calendar:
· Day/time: Tuesday July 7, 6 – 9 p.m.
· Location: Downtowner Saloon, 10 South New River Dr. East, Ft Lauderdale (954-463-9800) – Look for us in the beautiful refurbished Maxwell Room in back! A very cool space …
· Music: Jazz Survivors, a hot quartet that plays local festivals, jazz brunches, etc.
· Cost: $10, tax deductible – ALL money to benefit The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying program!
· Parking: Lots of free parking right behind the Downtowner.
· People: Fun, caring, looking to meet new friends!! (Not always easy to find in South Florida!!
;-))

2009-06-14T16:47:00.003-04:00

Website Improvements For You!

Please make sure to see the significant additions to our website. If you go to our home page at www.thehumanityproject.com, you'll find two new menu items: YouTube Channel and NING Network. Click on the YouTube Channel to see an uplifting five-minute news story about our Thousand Youth March for Humanity, the nation's first ever mass children's march against bullying. The Humanity Project conceived and organized the march, and lead it to a huge success last November. The other website addition is our NING Network, which will bring you to a whole alternative website for The Humanity Project -- one with pictures of the march as well as informative anti-bullying videos and other resources related to our work. A BIG shoutout of thanks to our remarkable volunteer, Cheryl-Ann Henry, for tackling this web work for us. Eventually you'll find a completely redesigned website, with a bold new look as well as new features and new information that you can use. For now, enjoy the changes Cheryl made possible for us. And please, pass our website along to friends and family! We need your help for The Humanity Project to keep growing! Thanks!! ;-))

2009-06-08T08:42:00.005-04:00

Sample a Yellow Strawberry

We hope you're planning your 4th of July "Freedom from Bullying Party," which we explained in the previous blog. But there’s another way you can help us complete our unique, effective anti-bullying program for the school kids if you live in South Florida. Our great friends at Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon in Fort Lauderdale are giving to The Humanity Project yet again. Owner Jesse Briggs is a wonderful guy who cares about kids a lot – and is helping us to stop bullying. He also has cut the hair of some pretty famous folks over the years. If you’ve never had the chance to try upscale Yellow Strawberry, now’s a great time because it will also help stop bullying. Here’s Jesse’s generous offer: Anytime in June, bring the below coupon with you and get a shampoo, conditioner, haircut and blow dry. He’ll give us $20 toward the music video for each woman’s cut (out of the total discount price: $45 -- or see this link for other services available with discount prices and anti-bullying donations: http://www.yellowstrawberry.com/ysblog/) and he’ll donate $10 for every man’s cut ($35 total price). Please make SURE to bring in the coupon below. The offer’s not valid without this. Just copy, paste and print the coupon. Simple, right? Ask for Jesse Briggs or one of the other four talented stylists who are helping us. They’re named in the coupon. You’ll get a great cut – and help a great cause!!
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COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON
This coupon is redeemable for one woman’s haircut ( total price: $60; $75 for long hair) or one man’s haircut ($35) at Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon, 1007 E. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, between June 1 – June 30, 2009. Yellow Strawberry will donate $20 from each woman’s cut with coupon, $10 from each man’s cut with coupon, to The Humanity Project’s important anti-bullying program. Ask for Jesse Briggs, Shelly Van Pelt, Franco Magnotta, Christopher Durst or Edy Gomez. Call for appointment: 954-463-4343.
COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON ____________________________________________________________________
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2009-05-29T19:14:00.004-04:00

Anti-bullying … “Party”??

Yep. No joke. This is your chance to do good and feel good – and have a good time! We just gave two more great presentations of The Humanity Project anti-bullying program to elementary school kids. Thousands of children clearly are “getting” our message: bullying hurts everyone in school and everyone must help stop it. But we’re still lacking the final important component of this program … lacking it for the usual reason. Money. We have recorded another very cool original kids song, “If Ya Help Someone” and plan to turn this into a terrific MTV-style music video. It’ll really help drive home our point at the end of each program. We’ll also make it available to the general public for free on YouTube. We need around $3,000 to create, direct and produce a high-quality professional music video. You can help us make that video a permanent part of our unique original anti-bullying program … just by having a “Freedom from Bullying Party” sometime around the 4th of July holiday. It won’t cost you much: not much time, not much money, not much hassle. Here’s details of the idea (which was suggested by our great volunteer, Rebecca!):

** Invite from 5 – 15 friends to your 4th of July holiday wingding. Have the party when it’s most convenient for everyone, but ideally sometime near the 4th weekend.
** Ask each guest to bring something for the party: bottle of wine, six-pack of soft drinks, bag of chips, etc. Not much expense there, right?
** Tell each person about the important idea behind these parties: To free kids from bullying!! Request that each guest contribute just $20 to that cause.(We can give you receipts for each tax-deductible $20 donation!)
** Have a blast for freedom over our national holiday – knowing that you’re also helping kids become free of bullying. This gives your 4th of July party a whole new, very satisfying spin!
** After your party, just email us at rsk@thehumanityproject.com or call 954-205-2722. We’ll tell you how you can easily get the money to us over the Internet or where to mail the money you collected.

That’s it! No hassles at all, really! We’ve already got several parties lined up but need a whole bunch more to make that anti-bullying video a reality for the kids. Please help us. We need you! (And if you’re still not too familiar with The Humanity Project, check out our new presence on YouTube: www.youtube.com/hpflorida . You may want to include that link in your “Freedom from Bullying Party” email invites too!!)

2009-05-20T10:14:00.001-04:00

Competition: “Me” or “Us”?

Just a very quick blog this morning as a thought struck me – a thought about the nature of competition in our society. Each of us feels the universe revolves around “me” … or should anyway. From our individual perspective, everything begins and ends with myself. Me. So when we compete for things, we put the “me” first. That’s true whether competing for attention in a group, or for a new job, or a parking space at the grocery store. To most of us, competition means getting mine for me and me alone. But there’s another approach that may work better for us, individually and as a society. Competition that lifts everyone involved. I was recalling what Paul McCartney once said about his backstage songwriting competition with John Lennon when they worked so closely together composing those classic tunes for the Beatles. “John would go off and write ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and then I’d go write ‘Penny Lane.” In other words, the achievements of one of them inspired the other to greater achievement too. And back and forth it went with them, leaving us with some of the greatest popular songs ever penned. They even put both their names on all their songs precisely to avoid igniting an unhealthy competition between them. Competition can be viewed as a friendly effort to get the most out of “us,” rather than a destructive battle just for “me.” That was my morning thought and I wanted to share it with my friends at The Humanity Project – which is about teaching individuals to take practical action for the betterment of both humanity and themselves. “Us.” Have a great day! :-)

2009-05-16T15:21:00.001-04:00

Gifts, Given and Received

On my desk sits a small bronze figure of Buddha. It represents to me the many wise lessons imparted to the world by this insightful man. But it also means something else: friendship. The inexpensive figurine was handed to me spontaneously by a woman at a shop along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. The sales clerk did this as a kindness, I believe, a gesture of good will between us. I already had bought several masks and other art pieces at her store and paid for them. She had nothing to gain except my smile.

Just now, as I dusted the Buddha during my weekly housecleaning, this thought occurred to me: the gift was given with no knowledge of how I would receive it. I might just as easily have seen this as worthless junk and tossed it in the nearest trash can. Or I might have put it in some jewelry box when I returned home and never glanced at it again. Or. Or … yes, I might have looked at this small gift in the way I do, as an object I genuinely appreciate and use to enhance my life. That thought led me to another. Isn’t the same true of our own gifts, the talent and experience and enthusiasm we can share with others? All we can do is to give these, with no knowledge of how they will be received. Just like the Buddha from my friend in Bangkok. We only have the power to hand out our individual treasures to the world. What the world does with them is entirely up to others to decide.

2009-05-02T10:03:00.004-04:00

One Mom & Two Kids

Just a quick post to let our many blog followers know about a podcast they may want to check out. It's called "One Mom & Two Kids," the first Humanity Project show on which we've heard the voices of children who actually have experienced bullying first-hand in their school. It's an engaging interview with a mom and her kids and you can listen to all or part of the program, which runs about 1/2 hour long. An interesting way to spend a little free Web-surfing time! Check it out at http://www.thehumanityproject.com/podcasts/Podcast61.html. Thanks -- and please email the link to your friends!

2009-04-20T15:11:00.003-04:00

Like Our Blog?

Then you should love our podcast! We just wanted to send out a brief invite for the many new folks who subscribe to our blog -- but seem to be missing our podcast. You get even more lively fun from these Internet radio shows. Each has different original music, something that somehow or other fits the theme of the program. And we offer lively commentary and fascinating interviews. Check them out at http://www.thehumanityproject.com/podcast.html ... And please, if you like what you hear, send this link to your friends and family so they can discover us too. Thanks! ;-))

2009-04-06T15:46:00.003-04:00

Copyright © The Humanity Project, 2007, 2008, 2009
All Rights Reserved
All tales written by Robert Spencer Knotts, president and founder
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These are the first five in a series of original modern fables for adults by The Humanity Project. They are short, fun, fictional tales that we hope will help demonstrate key points of The Humanity Project message. Stories have been used to teach moral lessons for centuries, from the ancient Greeks through the Bible and up to today’s self-help gurus. That’s also our goal with these stories. We hope you’ll enjoy them, re-posted on this blog so they can be easily read together.
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February 2009

The Tale of the Yellowbright Flower

Flowers feel feelings. Strong emotions vibrating out through their stamens and pistils. It’s a secret well known by flower lovers who coax blooms open with whispered encouragements. So it should be no surprise that the Yellowbright Flower growing in a large red field trembled with feelings now. Yes, he trembled each day from the strong feelings he felt. He felt different, after all, which is always a strong and unsettling thing to feel. He was the only Yellowbright Flower flowering in a field of red something-or-other plants. Whatever they were. He knew walkers walking by stopped walking and wondered at the sight of the Yellowbright Flower, stopped and stared before walking on. He knew he was some special thing, the only thing of his kind. But so what? Because the only thing of anything is always a very lonely thing to be, no matter what thing it is.

Until one midnight moonful lightbright night, as the Yellowbright Flower bobbed on a summer wind, the field spoke to him. Yes, a voice came from the field itself, from one red something-or-other plant itself in the field itself. This plant, whatever it was, now spoke to the Yellowbright Flower by saying this: “You’re not really alone, you know.” No one and nothing had ever spoken to the Yellowbright Flower before. To say the Yellowbright Flower was startled would be an understatement. Remember, flowers feel strong feelings.

“You’ve missed it along,” the red plant went on to the Yellowbright Flower. “You’re a rose. So am I. So are we all, all of us in this big field. If you’re yellow, with a different bloom, your color only adds to the beauty of this field. But it’s all of us, together, that the walkers stop walking to see. Not just you. Together, we’re a garden. Alone, you’re only one pretty but very small blossom.” Funny how this changed things for the Yellowbright Flower, who now recognized he was really a Yellowbright Rose. Funny how those few words changed everything. Because no thing is really the only thing of anything, no matter how special that one thing is. Somehow it helps to feel this when you’re a flower feeling strong feelings. Yes, somehow a flower garden just feels like a much less lonely place to flower, don’t you think?

At The Humanity Project, we believe that human beings flower most fully when we begin to understand we’re part of something much larger than ourselves – humanity. And then commit ourselves to working for the betterment of humanity in whatever ways we each best can. That’s what The Humanity Project is all about: teaching individuals how to take practical action for the improvement of both humanity and ourselves. Find out more by contacting us at 954-205-2722 or go to the Contact Us page at www.thehumanityproject.com.
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July 2008

The Tale of the Small Hole

Life is tough if you’re nothing but a small hole. For big holes, sure, things aren’t quite so bad, sure, sure. At least bigger is better, as everyone knows. But for each small hole poked into the fabric of this world somewhere, there is almost nothing to do but to live in hollow boredom.

The worst of it was this, though: The Small Hole wasn’t even sure, totally sure, he was even a hole even. He was round. Sort of. He was empty inside. Kind of. But he sat among rows of black lines on a field of white. His best guess was that he came into being as a tiny hole in a sheet of paper. But he wasn’t sure, not totally sure, not sure at all.

The Small Hole had lived all his small vacant life with this terrible uncertainty. Big holes at least had some purpose anyway. They could let big things pass through them anyway, like a tunnel that is a pass-through for cars anyway. At least it was something to do with your day. Even some small holes could be useful sometimes, it seemed, as when a finger scratches an itchy leg through the pocket hole of old jeans. Even small holes had a purpose even, sometimes. Not a grand purpose, mind you. But amid the nothingness of small hole life, even small purposes were welcome.

So sat the Small Hole, day after day. Round and empty, sort of, kind of. Unable even to think of himself as a big nothing even, because he was only a small nothing after all. The Small Hole had no purpose and nothing to give at all.

Or so it seemed.

Until the day he overheard one voice uttering some very interesting words. (Yes, holes can understand whatever people say. Most recognize several languages as well as signing for the deaf.) The Small Hole heard one man’s voice talking, followed by very beautiful sounds. The same voice again, then more sounds of a beauty the Small Hole had never heard before. And then once more, the same man’s voice again, once more yes the same man’s voice, but now very loud, very bellowy now. This is when the man’s words got very interesting, if also very loud.

“You’re late!” the man’s voice bellowed. “You have the most important moment in this whole work – and you’re late! Play on the downbeat, as it is written!”

The Small Hole understood the words, of course, but he could not make sense of their true meaning. What was the bellowing man talking about? Soon enough, the Small Hole would learn.

Because now the voice of the bellowing man continued: “I can’t believe my ears! One note to play and you get it wrong! That cymbal crash is the climax of this great symphony by this great composer and you cannot be late! On the downbeat, Mr. Nada! It’s right here on your page! Let me show you!”

What was the bellowing man saying? The Small Hole glanced quickly around now, excited. Because something was happening now. Yes, now the bellowing man was drawing a circle in pencil now. A circle around … him! Around the Small Hole! The bellowing man was drawing a circle around the Small Hole, which of course meant the bellowing man had been talking about the Small Hole!

And now the Small Hole suddenly understood something he never had understood before. Something that made everything make sense at last. Because the Small Hole was not a hole at all after all, after all. He was a musical note. Sitting in the middle of a sheet of lined music paper, all alone. All alone – because he was so important.

“The most important moment in this whole work,” the bellowing man, who really was the orchestra conductor, had called the Small Hole. “The climax of this great symphony by this great composer,” the bellowing orchestra conductor man had added. Then the bellowing conductor had drawn that circle in pencil around him, around the Small Hole.

Yes, the Small Hole understood now for sure, for sure. He wasn’t a Small Hole. He was a Big Note. He was the Big Note that made the cymbals of the orchestra crash loudly together at just the right time at just the right place in the music for everyone in the audience to enjoy. For sure, the most important musical note in this great symphony by this great composer!

And the Big Note understood one thing more, for sure. He understood that this is how it goes sometimes, for sure, for sure. Because sometimes we are sitting just a little too close to the page to see everything, that’s all. Sometimes it all looks just too big all around us to recognize our real place among it all, that’s all.

Sometimes we have a more important purpose, much more important, than we think. Yes, this is what the Big Note understood at last. Except sometimes we just need someone to draw a circle around us, in pencil, to show us what we were missing all along.

The Humanity Project believes purpose is what we each find for ourselves. It is our perception of our place in the world as an individual. The Humanity Project also believes that every human being can live a fuller, more meaningful life by recognizing that we each have something important to offer. Finding that larger purpose, and making it the focus of our everyday existence – that’s what The Humanity Project is all about.
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March 2008

The Tale of No-Time Nora

No, no, no, no! No was No-Time Nora’s favorite word. Often she would say, while hurrying past him or her in some frantic flurry, “No! Sorry! No time!” No time for coffee with a colleague. Sorry! No time for sewing with her sister. Sorry! No time for a film with a friend. Sorry! No, nor time to stop and listen, nor time to stop and chat. Nora was far too busy for frivolous stuff, for time-wasting things like that.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry! Gotta go feed the dog! And then the cat,” she would blurt into her cellphone while darting door to door, car to apartment, in very few seconds. Usually just 26 seconds flat. Though with her arms loaded with grocery bags, Nora would sometimes wave one spare finger, very quickly, toward her neighbors Paula, Spencer and Nat.

No-Time Nora had showers to scour, you see. Washing to wash, dusting to dust. Endless errands, a list of things-to-do that filled up her day. Important stuff, time-taking chores like that. And when they were done, just before bed, there was always the company of her dog. And her cat.

There was no time at all for doing with others. There just were not two seconds in her day to give two seconds to anyone at all. She never could squeeze in one instant for friendly frolics or friendships, she never could eek out one moment for moments of family fun. Though sometimes Nora paused long enough to admire her checklists showing all the chores she just got done.

Of course, none of Nora’s “no’s” was entirely necessary. Her shower was completely mildew-free. Even her dog was scrubbed down and her cat was washed clean. As were Nora’s doors and windows and every one of her window screens.

But at least her busywork life kept her so, so, so busy. So busy she had almost no time to notice how busy she was being unhappy. No-Time Nora just numbly buzzed with a busy loneliness throughout each busywork day. With no one and nothing in her busy life but one fat dog. And one very fat cat. And one sparkling shower – oh yes, and also one totally spotless white bathmat.

Until one day, Nat helped Nora with an armload of groceries, smiled and said to her, “Nora, my neighbor, some of us plan to help out another neighbor who needs some real help this weekend, just down the street. I know you’re always rushing off to do chores in a frantic flurry. But why not help us help our neighbor for just two hours – or just one hour’s helping if you really have to hurry?”

She could at last meet all the nice neighbors in their nice neighborhood, Nat told Nora. Giving two of her busy hours to someone else might make her smile more than she seemed to smile now. She could set aside for a while, Nat suggested, all the endless chores of her frantic, flurried life. Nora might even talk a bit with Spencer and Paula – who, Nat explained, were his son and his wife.

Nora pondered Nat’s invitation for just a moment. For two seconds Nora gave his suggestion a first and second thought. Maybe she really needed to meet some people. Maybe doing something for somebody else would do her some good. Maybe a nice smile with some nice neighbors would make a nice change. And with Paula and Spencer, she might even have some pleasant words to exchange.

But you know, of course, how No-Time Nora answered Nat. “No” was the first of the few short words in her no-time reply. “No time for helping neighbors, but thanks, Nat – goodbye!”

Sometime later, after Nat was gone, Nora told herself she really would like to help her needy neighbor. Why, of course she would! Because she was a giving person after all. If, if, if only there were more hours in her busy, busy day. But on the big neighbor-helping weekend, of course, she really had to scrub down the dog and clean up the cat. “And then there’s that dirty shower to scour,” Nora reminded herself, “and I really, really must wash that filthy white bathmat!”

Time for sharing herself with others was time that No-Time Nora always seemed to lack. Besides, when she had tried sharing herself with others, in the long ago past, others sometimes didn’t share themselves back. Life was so, so much simpler with just her one sparkling shower and her one fat dog – and her one very fat cat.

The Humanity Project says there’s no need for No-Time Nora to live in such busy, lonely isolation. She was prevented from connecting with other people mostly by fear and anger – that is, her memory of times when she had reached out but didn’t get the response she expected. The Humanity Project’s program teaches a practical system for sharing our best with others. This frees us from the kind of feelings that held Nora back. Get in touch with us for more information. __________________________________________________________________________
December 2007

The Tale of Generous Jen

Upon some time lived Jennifer once. Writing a children’s book, she was, all in lovely scented verse. Writing only once, perhaps twice, a month. Perhaps. When she could find some time.

This was how Jennifer’s scented children’s book began:

“Music comes alive at night, you know.
Every note has ears to hear.
It listens for the first sound of your snore.
And waits for your dreams to come near.”

Enchanted imagination was Jennifer’s great gift, telling us of things no one else could think to tell. Much more than these few lovely words, oh yes, Jennifer had almost written. But all the rest was still locked inside her head, just dancing and humming to get out for some young someone-else to read.

Just when Jennifer’s words would be unlocked free, oh my – this was anyone’s guess. If those words would ever be unlocked at all. Because Jennifer was so generous, you see. “Generous Jen,” her family all called her. Jen’s fingertips were usually far too busy helping someone else with something else for those fingertips to unlock her enchanted imagination. Whether that help for someone else was needed much or not.

No matter how many other fingertips were busy baking cookies for the church bake sale, Generous Jen always volunteered her fingertips too. No matter that her mother rarely wore some pair of worn pants – Generous Jen hemmed them up some half-inch higher with her busy fingertips. Just in case her mother changed her mind. Every friend who didn’t really need help packing up to move got Jennifer’s generous help anyway. Every friend of a friend who didn’t really need a ride to the airport got their ride anyway from Generous Jen.

There was not a “no” bone in her body any time anyone hinted they might prefer a “yes” from Jennifer. Always giving, giving, giving something or other to someone who didn’t really need her smallish gifts. That was Generous Jennifer.

If that’s what real giving really means, of course.

Because some gifts are gifts much easier to give than others, perhaps. Perhaps.

Much easier to give, at least, than writing scented verses.

At The Humanity Project, we believe “Generous Jen” isn’t really giving her best. But we also feel sure that she could. Our program can help Jennifer free that enchanted imagination – and the other great qualities that make her a unique individual with much to offer the rest of us. Learning to share the best in ourselves with others throughout each day can help release that potential. The Humanity Project can tell you more. __________________________________________________________________
October 2007

The Tale of Techie Tom

Thomas was a technical type. Totally. His colleagues in IT called him TT. To them, he was “Techie Tom.” But he felt sure all the Ts in his nickname were merely a teasing for him, initials given not with affection but with disdain. His colleagues didn’t really like him, TT would think each day. No one wanted him around. Except for his whiz-bang wizardry on the Internet, he was a man of little interest and lesser use to anybody. Or so TT thought.

Eating lunch this day, alone as usual and thinking typically techie things, TT picked up a magazine. One article instantly caught his attention. “The Humanity Project helps people live more happily through learning to give to others,” the story read. TT scratched his earlobe and other parts. A bit of smelly tuna was stuck to his lip when he lowered the magazine and said out loud, to himself only, “What does that mean anyway? That’s stupid! What do I have to give anyone?”

But TT kept turning the magazine pages. Because the magazine article next said, “The Humanity Project teaches us to focus our actions and thoughts on giving all we can to others each day, without expecting reward or fearing rejection. This ‘giving life’ connects our daily individual efforts to something larger than any one person: humanity. And that can help bring us each greater meaning and happiness.” Now TT was terribly troubled. In an untypically testy display of emotion, he tossed the magazine to the table and stalked angrily from the lunchroom. “‘A giving life!’” he tsked and snorted over and over, walking back to his safe, separate cubicle.

On the way, TT passed two techie colleagues talking about music or something. He never listened to anyone’s untechie chatter and heard not two words. So he did not overhear one colleague telling the other that they’d never find a drummer for their weekend jazz trio. Of course, TT had played the drums all through high school. Still had a drum set hidden in his closet. “‘A giving life!’” TT snorted again as he walked past.

TT still tsked and snuffled as he passed Theresa’s cubicle, who looked up from her techie tinkering long enough to sigh to herself, “TT’s such a cute guy! Too bad he doesn’t like anyone around here.” Then she watched him stalk past her and she got a funny, sad, if-only look in her two eyes. Down the techie hall, TT closed his ears again and hurried by someone who was touring techie cubicles collecting donations for some good cause or other that didn’t concern him anyway. Back within his safe, separate cubicle space now, TT did not phone his mother who was ill or his older sister who missed his voice or his younger brother who had always admired him. And TT, who loved and understood baseball, did not make plans to coach a Little League team that season or support the local major leaguers by attending even one game. After all, TT had a TV. And after work, TT did not take his seriously major techie talents down the street to the struggling school with all the broken computer terminals. The list of did-nots is too long to list here, in toto. Instead, TT fired up a microwave pizza, alone at home as usual, and turned on the ballgame. “‘A giving life!’” TT tsked one last time, to himself. “I’ve got nothing at all to give. And even if I did, who would want it anyway?”

The Humanity Project could help Techie Tom understand that he has a lot to give. Like some of us, he just doesn’t see all his talents and gifts very clearly – and all the people who need them. Because the truth is that Tom isn’t merely a computer technician, a “techie.” He’s a human being with much to offer colleagues, family, children and his community at large. If you know a “Techie Tom” type, tell him or her about The Humanity Project. Just call us at 954-205-2722. Thanks!
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2009-03-12T14:54:00.002-04:00

Thank You, State Farm!

Once again, our Good Neighbors have come through for us. State Farm Insurance has just signed on as a sponsor of The Humanity Project’s innovative anti-bullying program for elementary school students. This month, more than 1,400 kids will learn why bullying hurts everyone in their school – and how they can stop it in appropriate ways. Many thousands more will hear that same lesson in the coming weeks. Our program was approved by psychologists, educators and prevention specialists for use here in Broward County, Florida – the nation’s sixth largest school district. But we can’t get it to the kids who need it without money. So three State Farm agency field executives stepped up to help, just as they did for our Thousand Youth March for Humanity last November. The Humanity Project gives a big thanks again to Eugene Dixon, Craig Holloway and John Gentry for bringing State Farm to this cause. They understand how important it is to stop the school bullying that damages, sometimes destroys, young lives. And like the good neighbors they are, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Holloway and Mr. Gentry are doing something about it. We offer them our heartfelt thanks.

2009-03-04T15:00:00.003-05:00

Some Podcast Fun

We hope you'll take a half hour to have some fun with our new podcast. Called "A Board Member Speaks," the title may not exactly be catchy! ;-) But the program will grab you if you begin listening and stay with it a few minutes. The Humanity Project's newest member of the Board of Directors, Bob LaMendola, is not only a socially committed, thoughtful person -- he's fun. As a full time journalist and musician, he tells some good stories on this podcast. We think you may also enjoy our cool original theme music for this show. (Each podcast has different original music, composed and performed by The Humanity Project's president/founder. Check out various programs and you'll hear everything from blues to New Age music, classical to hip hop.) Just go to www.thehumanityproject.com and click on the podcast tab. Then open the latest program. Let us know what you think of the new podcast -- and please help us spread the word. Tell your friends about our blogs and podcasts! Thanks!!

2009-02-14T12:08:00.002-05:00

This is the fifth in a series of original modern fables by The Humanity Project. They are short, fun, fictional tales that we hope will help demonstrate key points of The Humanity Project message. Stories have been used to teach moral lessons for centuries, from the ancient Greeks through the Bible and up to today’s self-help gurus. That’s also our goal with these stories. We hope you’ll enjoy “The Tale of the Yellowbright Flower.”

The Tale of the Yellowbright Flower

Flowers feel feelings. Strong emotions vibrating out through their stamens and pistils. It’s a secret well known by flower lovers who coax blooms open with whispered encouragements. So it should be no surprise that the Yellowbright Flower growing in a large red field trembled with feelings now. Yes, he trembled each day from the strong feelings he felt. He felt different, after all, which is always a strong and unsettling thing to feel. He was the only Yellowbright Flower flowering in a field of red something-or-other plants. Whatever they were. He knew walkers walking by stopped walking and wondered at the sight of the Yellowbright Flower, stopped and stared before walking on. He knew he was some special thing, the only thing of his kind. But so what? Because the only thing of anything is always a very lonely thing to be, no matter what thing it is.

Until one midnight moonful lightbright night, as the Yellowbright Flower bobbed on a summer wind, the field spoke to him. Yes, a voice came from the field itself, from one red something-or-other plant itself in the field itself. This plant, whatever it was, now spoke to the Yellowbright Flower by saying this: “You’re not really alone, you know.” No one and nothing had ever spoken to the Yellowbright Flower before. To say the Yellowbright Flower was startled would be an understatement. Remember, flowers feel strong feelings.

“You’ve missed it along,” the red plant went on to the Yellowbright Flower. “You’re a rose. So am I. So are we all, all of us in this big field. If you’re yellow, with a different bloom, your color only adds to the beauty of this field. But it’s all of us, together, that the walkers stop walking to see. Not just you. Together, we’re a garden. Alone, you’re only one pretty but very small blossom.” Funny how this changed things for the Yellowbright Flower, who now recognized he was really a Yellowbright Rose. Funny how those few words changed everything. Because no thing is really the only thing of anything, no matter how special that one thing is. Somehow it helps to feel this when you’re a flower feeling strong feelings. Yes, somehow a flower garden just feels like a much less lonely place to flower, don’t you think?

At The Humanity Project, we believe that human beings flower most fully when we begin to understand we’re part of something much larger than ourselves – humanity. And then commit ourselves to working for the betterment of humanity in whatever ways we each best can. That’s what The Humanity Project is all about: teaching individuals how to take practical action for the improvement of both humanity and ourselves. Find out more by contacting us at 954-205-2722 or go to the Contact Us page at www.thehumanityproject.com

2009-02-03T13:41:00.002-05:00

A Plan to Stop Bullying – and Much More

The Humanity Project has been very busy again. Sorry for the long gap between blogs, but we’ll try to do better in the near future. We’re still new and small – but we’re working on some ambitious plans. Those plans include, well, another type of plan. A plan to stop bullying in the schools. We have created an innovative anti-bullying program for elementary school students. It’s been approved by psychologists, educators and prevention specialists in the nation’s sixth largest school district. It is available to other school districts as well. Contact us and we’ll tell you all about it! We also have exciting news about a new website just for kids. It will be called www.thp4kids.com – get it? As in, “The Humanity Project 4 Kids.” We’ve already created an outline of some truly cutting-edge interactive features that will keep kids 8 – 14-years-old coming back day after day. And what will they learn? How to stop bullying, yes. But a lot more too. We’ll teach human values in new, entertaining ways to any child with access to a computer. Values like self-respect, respect for others, perseverance to fulfill their potential and lots more. We believe we have the background in our organization to pull this project off successfully. Now we need major sponsors to help us. If you’d like to know more, again, just go to the Contact Us page on www.thehumanityproject.com. Together, we will make a difference in the future of our kids.

2008-12-19T14:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays!

We’ve been very busy since our highly successful Thousand Youth March for Humanity. That’s why there’s been no new blog since then. We’re creating a new monthly email newsletter that we hope to send out to members and supporters within the next few days. We’re meeting with potential new sponsors for exciting upcoming projects. And most of all, we’re working on those projects. One of these is our in-school anti-bullying program, which will go into South Florida elementary schools starting in early 2009. The other … well, shhhh! It’s a secret for now. We’ll make an announcement soon about one of the boldest ideas yet for The Humanity Project. For now, please accept our thanks for your support during 2008 – and our fondest hopes that each of you enjoys a great holiday season and healthy, productive 2009! Happy Holidays from everyone at The Humanity Project!

2008-11-17T16:31:00.002-05:00

Children’s March A Huge Success!

The Thousand Youth March for Humanity brought together more than 1,300 students by official estimates, from kindergarten through college, along with some 500 or more adults. We all united in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, November 16 – a picture perfect day! Our message was simple: “We want no bullying around!” We delivered that message loud and clear, with original songs and poetry slams and dance and great speeches of hope. To our knowledge, this event was a first anywhere in the United States.

It’s just one example of what The Humanity Project is all about: Finding practical ways to help fulfill human potential, such as stopping bullying. Listen for our next podcast, at the end of this month, which will help explain more fully what we’re really trying to accomplish. This group is not New Age, not religious. Our efforts are practical and our ideas are rooted in realities we all would recognize in our individual lives. Stay tuned for that program. But for now, thanks to everyone who helped make The Humanity Project’s Thousand Youth March for Humanity such a powerful anti-bullying message.

2008-11-01T17:57:00.003-04:00

Frequently Asked Questions: Thousand Youth March for Humanity

Q: What are the basic details? Who is doing this? Where, when, etc.?

Conceived and organized by the nonprofit group, The Humanity Project, the Thousand Youth March for Humanity will bring together more than 1,000 students, grades K – 12, to march for an end to school bullying. The march will be held on Sunday, November 16, 2008, rain or shine. It will begin at Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale and proceed for 8/10ths of a mile through closed, police-protected streets back to the plaza for a rally with bands, balloons, brief speeches and a call-and-response anti-bullying chant from the crowd.

Q: What time should participants arrive and how long will the march and rally be?

The march begins promptly at 1 p.m. Walking time is likely to be about 45 minutes for all marchers to complete the route. The rally will begin immediately after the march itself and will end by 3 p.m. Participants should arrive by noon on march day and will be free to go right after the rally ends. Buses will line up at 3 p.m. to pick up students who came by bus.

Q: What is the march route?

The march will begin at the plaza, located on the corner of Andrews Avenue and Las Olas Boulevard, then head north to Broward Boulevard, east to SE 3rd Avenue, south to Las Olas Boulevard, then west on Las Olas back to the plaza. Students, parents, teachers, administrators, volunteers and the public will gather in the plaza and street for the rally.

Q: You said “rain or shine.” This march really will happen even if it rains?

Definitely. Even if it rains. In fact, this strong statement against bullying becomes even stronger if students turn out in large numbers despite challenging weather. Just bring ponchos, umbrellas or whatever else you need to stay dry.

Q: I’d like to know more about the reasons behind the march and about The Humanity Project.

Go to their website at www.thehumanityproject.com and listen to their September podcast or read their blogs about the march.

Q: Ok, how can I take part?

Contact The Humanity Project’s president and founder, Bob Knotts, at 954-205-2722 or email him at rsk1writer@bellsouth.net.

Q: Where should I park for the march?

The public parking garage near the main library has plenty of room. There’s also public parking at garages just north and west of the plaza in the Riverwalk area. Make sure to arrive early so you can find a good space and get to the march at noon.

Q: How do I volunteer to help?

Again, call or email The Humanity Project at the number or address listed above.

Q: I know someone who might want to sponsor or donate to help pay for this important event. How can they do that?

The Humanity Project is urgently seeking sponsors and donors to cover the substantial costs of the Thousand Youth March for Humanity. In return, those sponsors and donors will be given broad public exposure for their community involvement through the media, Internet, flyers, banners and more. Just call 954-205-2722 to help. Our current sponsors now include Nova Southeastern University, Florida Marlins, AutoNation, Children's Services Council, Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon, Freeman Orthodontics, Framing By Morris, Downtown Development Authority, State Farm and Office Depot Foundation.

2008-10-24T16:41:00.002-04:00

Marching Forward

At The Humanity Project, we’re very pleased. The Broward School Board, which runs the sixth largest school district in the United States, has officially declared Sunday, November 16, “Thousand Youth March for Humanity Day.” This unprecedented event will bring together students from kindergarten through 12th grade to take back their schools from the bullies. Thank you for this honor, Broward School Board. We also want to thank our growing list of sponsors, which now includes Nova Southeastern University, Florida Marlins, State Farm, AutoNation, Freeman Orthodontics, Downtown Development Authority, Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon and Children’s Services Council of Broward County. Next month, we all will join together with thousands of students and community groups and churches and arts organizations with one simple purpose: to make bullying socially unacceptable. We hope you’ll want to help our effort in whatever ways you can. Just go to the Contact Us page at www.thehumanityproject.com to call or email for more information. Or donate at our Join/Donate page at this same website. Thanks!

2008-10-07T14:35:00.002-04:00

Thanks, Nova!

As The Humanity Project continues our hard work on the fast-approaching Thousand Youth March for Humanity, we have reason today to celebrate. We welcome an important new sponsor to our efforts: Nova Southeastern University, an influential institution in South Florida. NSU has just joined our growing list of supporters for this big event, which is a march by students to end bullying in their schools. In effect, the students are taking back their own school yards, halls and classrooms from the troublemakers. It's part of The Humanity Project's programs to help make bullying socially unacceptable behavior. We’re proud that NSU wants to work with us.

Nova is based in the Fort Lauderdale area, with a lovely 300-acre campus and more than 26,000 students. It’s the largest independent institution of higher learning in the southeastern United States. The university also boasts a group of experts on the issue of bullying. We gratefully add NSU to a sponsor list that, as of this writing, also includes the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball team, AutoNation, Downtown Development Authority, Children’s Services Council and our old friends at Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon. Thanks to each of you and to Nova. Together, we can help end school bullying – and help prevent the psychological and physical damage to kids that often results from this abuse. The Thousand Youth March for Humanity can serve as our rallying point for change.

2008-10-02T10:56:00.003-04:00

Thousand Youth March for Humanity

I hope you’ll listen to our new podcast, which is titled exactly the same as this blog: “Thousand Youth March for Humanity.” It will explain more than I can in this brief space about the unprecedented event The Humanity Project is organizing and leading this fall. On Sunday, November 16, we’ll head up a march of more than 1,000 school kids, grades K – 12, to stop school bullying. Think about that. When is the last time you’ve heard of students from five-years-old to 18-years-old coming together for anything? Then ask yourself when you’ve heard of kids from vastly different economic and ethnic backgrounds supporting the same cause. Then think about this: Have you ever heard of a massive number of students marching to take back their own schools from the bullies? I suspect the answer to all those questions is that, no you haven’t heard about this before. That’s why the Thousand Youth March for Humanity is unique. Our sponsors right now include the Florida Marlins, AutoNation, Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon, Downtown Development Authority and Children’s Services Council. But we need more sponsors and donors – lots more. An event this huge doesn’t come cheap. We hope the whole community will come together to say that bullying must be seen as socially unacceptable from now on, like drunk driving. Bullying is dangerous. Bullying damages and sometimes destroys young lives. This march can be the beginning of a new attitude about school abuse and violence. Because bullying isn’t just kids being kids. It’s kids harming kids. This march is our chance to join together and deliver one simple, powerful message about bullying: “Enough!”

2008-09-05T17:14:00.003-04:00

Our Anti-bullying Work

At our first meeting with the nation’s sixth largest school district, The Humanity Project had one clear message: “We believe that bullying must become socially unacceptable, just like such things as drunk driving or smoking in crowds.” That remains our goal in all our anti-bullying efforts. We believe strongly that students, parents and teachers must begin to view bullying differently. It’s no longer kids just being kids. Bullying is socially destructive behavior.

We’re proud of the Thousand Youth March for Humanity that we conceived and will now organize and lead, a major public anti-bullying event that's unprecedented in Florida and perhaps in the United States. More than 1,000 students, from grades K – 12, will march through the streets on Sunday, November 16, 2008 to take back their own schools from the bullies. We think that the message delivered by these youths will be as clear as our original comment to the Broward County school district: “Bullying must become socially unacceptable.” News coverage is likely to help us deliver that message far beyond the borders of Broward County in South Florida.

The Humanity Project also created our own innovative anti-bullying program that we’ll take into those same South Florida schools beginning later this year – and we’re very proud of this as well. Our entertaining, thought-provoking half-hour presentation will be seen by elementary school students. Again, the message is very clear: “Bullying hurts everyone in school, not just kids who are bullied. So everyone must view bullying as socially unacceptable behavior.” It’s all part of The Humanity Project’s mission to show the many real, practical connections that link human beings – and the ways that we can lead our lives for the betterment of both humanity and ourselves at the same time. Helping yourself, helping humanity. That’s The Humanity Project.

2008-08-31T12:39:00.003-04:00

Clearer Mission, Clearer Focus

It’s nearly Labor Day as I write this, with September almost here. As we move toward the autumn, I want to share The Humanity Project’s newest improvement. We have revised and more tightly focused our mission statement. This is part of our continuing effort to more clearly explain what The Humanity Project really is offering. Our vision and “How We Do This” statements also have been re-written. Here is the latest statement of our goals – offered in the hope that many more people will want to help us reach them. Thanks! And Happy Labor Day!
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Mission:

To teach individuals how to take practical action for the betterment of both humanity and themselves.

Vision:

To create world-wide acceptance of a practical philosophy showing that individual effort can serve the highest interests of the individual and humanity simultaneously, with programs and writings available to all children and adults.

How We Do This:

We are not religious, not New Age. Our cutting-edge programs, writings and other teaching tools encourage individual thinking and are empirically based. We teach children and adults to see themselves in a larger context, recognizing many more of the meaningful connections among human beings and then acting for the highest interests of all. This work includes an innovative, school-approved anti-bullying program for grades K – 5 and the Thousand Youth March for Humanity, conceived and organized by The Humanity Project, which will bring together more than 1,000 K – 12 students to help abolish bullying in South Florida schools. This website provides interviews, practical information and original modern fables in our podcasts and blogs. In essence, The Humanity Project teaches engaging lessons about the importance of focusing not on “me” or “them” but on “us.” Helping yourself, helping humanity at the same time. That’s The Humanity Project.
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2008-08-09T17:23:00.003-04:00

Finding the “Us’ in Everday Life

I am sitting in sweaty gym clothes as I write this, just back from the gym. I know, I know. Not the prettiest image, for which I’m sorry. But I want to explain just how fresh the idea for this blog is. I thought of it 15 minutes ago at Gold’s Gym in Hollywood, Florida. I was working out on a stationary bike when I said to myself, “Ok, how would I apply The Humanity Project philosophy to this situation? Right now?” That philosophy essentially says that we live more meaningful lives as individuals by focusing our attention on contributing not to “me” or even to “them” … but to “us.” So the question was, “How could I contribute to us – both myself and others at the same time – while just working out at the gym?” Here’s what I came up with:

I could smile. That really does make me feel better but it also improves the general attitude in the gym for others. It helps “us.”
I could exercise harder. By being in better shape, I make myself stronger and healthier, which of course is good for “me.” But how can I view this as also truly being good for “us”? These were my some of my thoughts about that question:

1) If I’m in shape, I’m better able to help others, including friends, in everyday life. I remember the time before I overcame my back problems. I had to have my then-spouse lift suitcases out of the car when we traveled. I couldn’t pick up things to assist friends when they moved or needed help shifting furniture around their houses. Or whatever. This is the kind of thing many of us are called on to do often, even if it just means hoisting a couple gallons of milk for an elderly lady at the grocery store or helping to clean our own home.

2) I’m stronger in case someone really needs my assistance in an emergency. This isn’t everyday stuff – but it’s not far-fetched either. Where I live in South Florida, bystanders routinely are called on to aid drivers whose cars have veered into one of our many canals. Any of us may be involved in, or be near, an auto crash or a fire or some other event where strength and confidence in our physical abilities is needed. Ask the people who survived 9/11 about that. God forbid any of this actually happens to us, of course. But it literally is true that we may be needed and that we’re a stronger, better prepared citizen if we are in good shape.

3) Exercise improves my attitude, self-confidence and health. This has many ripple effects for the good: It makes me a more balanced human being emotionally. It helps me cope with difficult people and situations more effectively. It frees more of my best at work, in social situations and everywhere else. I am less likely to suffer some physical ailment. Etc., etc. And all of those things benefit others in lots of direct and indirect ways.

But working out with “us” in mind has a deeper, more far-reaching benefit too. It can help me to feel connected to my fellow human beings, lifting me out of a life lived in isolation, only for “me.” Try it yourself and you’ll see what I mean. By thinking and acting for “us,” rather than “me” or even “them,” I add a much greater purpose to everything I do, even something as ordinary as going to the gym. And that purpose gives my life a richer meaning.

I hope you’re starting to get the idea. Focusing my actions and thoughts on “us” offers me a very good reason to get out of bed every day – to live my life in ways that benefit both me and others at the same time. I stay motivated because it benefits me. I stay connected to others and find meaning in my life because it benefits my fellow human beings too, which becomes an additional powerful motivation for me. In turn, all of this improves society by improving the individuals in it, starting with me. Right now, at the gym. That shift in perspective is among the key goals of The Humanity Project’s program: finding a sense of connection and involvement with every other human being by living for “us.” We believe our unique program can teach anyone how to make and maintain that mental shift, adding purpose and meaning to our everyday lives. Even if we’re just sweating on a stationary bike at Gold’s Gym.

2008-08-01T11:15:00.004-04:00

Giving Help, Getting Help

We have some great news for members and friends of The Humanity Project! Our innovative, entertaining anti-bullying program for grades K - 5 has been officially approved for the sixth largest school district in the United States. In Broward County, Florida, young students will learn our message that bullying hurts everyone in school, including kids who just watch. This ties in perfectly with The Humanity Project’s mission to teach children and adults that all people are intimately connected – and that we each can live in a way that helps both others and ourself. Also, The Humanity Project proposed and now will organize and lead a major public event: the Thousand Child March. On November 16, 2008, more than 1,000 schoolchildren from grades K – 12 will march through downtown Fort Lauderdale to support the campaign to abolish bullying. This event is now officially approved by the Broward public school system, which is aggressively doing something about the bullying that is a problem in schools everywhere. You’ll be seeing a lot in the media about The Humanity Project’s march as the date comes closer.

But to do all this, we need concrete help in many forms, especially volunteers and money. The first two champions of children and safe schools have stepped forward to give us their support. The Children’s Services Council of Broward County is a venerable, tax-supported institution in South Florida doing incredible work of all kinds to help kids. A great organization staffed by hard-working, committed people. We have just learned that the Children’s Services Council will donate $1,000 toward our $20,000 + budget for the march. A big thank you to CSC for this generous help! We look forward to a long and mutually fruitful association with that wonderful group!

Also, our longtime podcast sponsor, Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon in Fort Lauderdale, is doing more to help us now. Owner Jesse Briggs, along with his terrific daughter, Denise, and great lifelong partner, Flo, are backing The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying efforts. First, Yellow Strawberry has donation boxes around the salon for contributions to our anti-bullying cause. Second, they have posted signs offering a terrific deal to their customers: Donate $1,000 to The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying work and get a $500 Caribbean Dream Relaxer treatment – and of course, a significant tax deduction too. Caribbean Dream Relaxer is the safe, popular new hair straightening treatment created by Yellow Strawberry and available worldwide. So it’s a win-win for Yellow Strawberry customers, who can get a lot by giving a lot. A big thank you to Jesse, Denise, Flo and everyone at Yellow Strawberry! With friends like them and Children’s Services Council of Broward County, our anti-bullying campaign is sure to succeed!

2008-07-25T11:14:00.003-04:00

This is the fourth in a series of original modern fables by The Humanity Project. They are short, fun, fictional tales that we hope will help demonstrate key points of The Humanity Project message. Stories have been used to teach moral lessons for centuries, from the ancient Greeks through the Bible and up to today’s self-help gurus. That’s also our goal with these stories. We hope you’ll enjoy “The Tale of the Small Hole.”

The Tale of the Small Hole

Life is tough if you’re nothing but a small hole. For big holes, sure, things aren’t quite so bad, sure, sure. At least bigger is better, as everyone knows. But for each small hole poked into the fabric of this world somewhere, there is almost nothing to do but to live in hollow boredom.

The worst of it was this, though: The Small Hole wasn’t even sure, totally sure, he was even a hole even. He was round. Sort of. He was empty inside. Kind of. But he sat among rows of black lines on a field of white. His best guess was that he came into being as a tiny hole in a sheet of paper. But he wasn’t sure, not totally sure, not sure at all.

The Small Hole had lived all his small vacant life with this terrible uncertainty. Big holes at least had some purpose anyway. They could let big things pass through them anyway, like a tunnel that is a pass-through for cars anyway. At least it was something to do with your day. Even some small holes could be useful sometimes, it seemed, as when a finger scratches an itchy leg through the pocket hole of old jeans. Even small holes had a purpose even, sometimes. Not a grand purpose, mind you. But amid the nothingness of small hole life, even small purposes were welcome.

So sat the Small Hole, day after day. Round and empty, sort of, kind of. Unable even to think of himself as a big nothing even, because he was only a small nothing after all. The Small Hole had no purpose and nothing to give at all.

Or so it seemed.

Until the day he overheard one voice uttering some very interesting words. (Yes, holes can understand whatever people say. Most recognize several languages as well as signing for the deaf.) The Small Hole heard one man’s voice talking, followed by very beautiful sounds. The same voice again, then more sounds of a beauty the Small Hole had never heard before. And then once more, the same man’s voice again, once more yes the same man’s voice, but now very loud, very bellowy now. This is when the man’s words got very interesting, if also very loud.

“You’re late!” the man’s voice bellowed. “You have the most important moment in this whole work – and you’re late! Play on the downbeat, as it is written!”

The Small Hole understood the words, of course, but he could not make sense of their true meaning. What was the bellowing man talking about? Soon enough, the Small Hole would learn.

Because now the voice of the bellowing man continued: “I can’t believe my ears! One note to play and you get it wrong! That cymbal crash is the climax of this great symphony by this great composer and you cannot be late! On the downbeat, Mr. Nada! It’s right here on your page! Let me show you!”

What was the bellowing man saying? The Small Hole glanced quickly around now, excited. Because something was happening now. Yes, now the bellowing man was drawing a circle in pencil now. A circle around … him! Around the Small Hole! The bellowing man was drawing a circle around the Small Hole, which of course meant the bellowing man had been talking about the Small Hole!

And now the Small Hole suddenly understood something he never had understood before. Something that made everything make sense at last. Because the Small Hole was not a hole at all after all, after all. He was a musical note. Sitting in the middle of a sheet of lined music paper, all alone. All alone – because he was so important.

“The most important moment in this whole work,” the bellowing man, who really was the orchestra conductor, had called the Small Hole. “The climax of this great symphony by this great composer,” the bellowing orchestra conductor man had added. Then the bellowing conductor had drawn that circle in pencil around him, around the Small Hole.

Yes, the Small Hole understood now for sure, for sure. He wasn’t a Small Hole. He was a Big Note. He was the Big Note that made the cymbals of the orchestra crash loudly together at just the right time at just the right place in the music for everyone in the audience to enjoy. For sure, the most important musical note in this great symphony by this great composer!

And the Big Note understood one thing more, for sure. He understood that this is how it goes sometimes, for sure, for sure. Because sometimes we are sitting just a little too close to the page to see everything, that’s all. Sometimes it all looks just too big all around us to recognize our real place among it all, that’s all.

Sometimes we have a more important purpose, much more important, than we think. Yes, this is what the Big Note understood at last. Except sometimes we just need someone to draw a circle around us, in pencil, to show us what we were missing all along.

The Humanity Project believes purpose is what we each find for ourselves. It is our perception of our place in the world as an individual. The Humanity Project also believes that every human being can live a fuller, more meaningful life by recognizing that we each have something important to offer. Finding that larger purpose, and making it the focus of our everyday existence – that’s what The Humanity Project is all about. For more on this idea, we suggest you listen to our June 2008 podcast, “Me, Them … and Us.” You can catch this at www.thehumanityproject.com. Just click there on The Humanity Podcast and look for the podcast dated “6.26.08,” then click again to listen. Thanks!

2008-06-30T12:55:00.003-04:00

Me, Them ... and Us

This is just a quick post to let you know about a new podcast. We think it's an important podcast for you to hear. It's about a new way to look at the world -- not being all about "me." But also not being all about "them."

At The Humanity Project, we believe in a different philosophy. We think our lives can and should be lived for "us." We can live, act, think and love in ways that contribute to all of us together. See what we mean by going to our home page at www.thehumanityproject.com and clicking on The Humanity Podcast. Then click on the top podcast, "Me, Them ... and Us." We think you may find it helpful as a way to live your everyday life.