I'm going to the dentist today, because of you guys.

asdjrocky

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Aug-17-10 11:04 AM
Original message

I'm going to the dentist today, because of you guys.

For background-
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8949586

http://www.wishadoo.org/welcome.php/

(I'd like to thank Skinner and the admins of DU for allowing Wishadoo to post this fund raiser.)

Today, at 2pm PST I actual have an appointment with a real dentist that is going to start me down the road to smiling, to working again and to living my life again. I would not be doing this without the kindness of so many of you, and I can't began to know how to thank you all, but I'm going to try by giving a little advice at the end of this post.

First a little background-

I've seen people talking of revolution, change, a new way forward, another kinder America. I've found it here at DU and through the revolutionaries at an amazing site called Wishiadoo.

It's a revolution of kindness and giving and I have to say I never thought I'd be joining the revolution quite like this, but now I'm a happy, and soon to be smiling soldier.

And I'm not alone. And neither are you. The revolution, for me, started when I learned there is no shame in asking and you get no help without reaching out. A kind and smart DUer, OneGrassRoot knew of the problem with my teeth -lol, that would be lack of teeth- and encouraged me to come forward with my needs. And encouraged, and encouraged. I learned something, OneGrassRoot does not take no for an answer, and once this bold DUer has something in her mind, there is no changing it or stopping her. For that, I'm more than grateful.

It started with a post I made on the wishlist section at a brain child called Wishadoo started by OneGrassRoot and her partner, and after a week of working with a fund raising group, and hours of behind the scenes work culminated in a post on Sunday morning from OneGrassRoot asking you guys for help. Help for me, imagine that. OGR set the fund raising page up for a month of fund raising and we set a modest goal of 900 dollars, just 100 over the cost of the most basic dentures.

In a little more than one hour we exceeded that goal by a few hundred dollars. I give full credit to OGR, the fine site that is Wishadoo, and the kindness of strangers that have been my friends for a few years now. To say I'm humbled and happy is an understatement of massive proportions. I've gotten some sage advice from some very smart people that have been in my shoes, and becaue of your and their generosity I'll be seeing a real dentist today that will get me on the road to a smile, and with a smile, the first real employment I've had in more than 2 years.

You guys fired the first shots of kindness in a revolution of giving. I wonder if you guys will ever know what heroes you are to me.

Thank you is not enough, so I'll give you a pledge beyond the thank you. I will pay it forward by making sure I help others, by being an advocate for those that can't or won't advocate for themselves. And that work starts now.

In that wonderful thread where so many came forward to help and send good wishes there were many that spoke of help they needed and have not asked for. I saw smiles to be fixed and other people to help. Here's the kicker, these people were reaching out to help me. Imagine that!

So this is where I come to the advice portion of this long winded deceleration of appreciation. I'm telling you, all of you that need it, to ask for help. Trust me, after that first step, that hardest step, everything starts to fall into place. I've never been one to ask, and old dogs don't easily learn new tricks, but with a little pushing, I did ask and it's completely changed my perspective.

Now it's time for you to ask. What do you need? A smile? A job? Do you need just that little push to get you over that hump most of us are facing? Just ask and you may be surprised by the number of people that want to help.

PM me or OneGrassRoot if there is something you need, we'll try to help. Really, it's not a big deal once you are over that silly hump of stubbornness. Everyone needs a hand up sometimes and many of us don't have family and friends around to offer that help, so let your friends in that other community help. Let us help.

I can't begin to tell you all what this means to me, and thank you will never be enough, so again, know my life is now about paying this forward.

I'll leave with a few words that keep running around in my head, I don't know what or who to attribute them to, but they make sense now to me more than ever.

Take just what you need, but take all you need.