Soles 4 Souls and This is Enough

This morning, I was on the phone with my mom saying I wanted to donate my superfluous shoes to people who needed them. She said she didn't know any place like that, and the search was on.

I discovered an organization called Soles 4 Souls. They accept used shoes of all types, and bring them to impoverished communities around the world. I have now started the easiest "shoe drive" ever: I sent out a couple emails to my school and now I will just wait for people to bring their shoes to my room. After Spring break, I will get transportation and possible help carrying and go donate the shoes to the nearest Soles 4 Souls location. (UPDATE: The school community service committee is now running the shoe drive. This makes sense, but I hate beaurocracy.)

I am trying to train myself to live with what I have and only spend money on necessities. It sounds hard until you realize the average American's list of necessities:

• Food
• Water
• Clothes
• Shoes
• A Warm Bed
• A Roof over One's Head
• Education
• Medical Care

So many people in the world don't even have the first two. Obviously I slip up now and again, because I collect kippot, need laundry detergent, etc. My current motto (taken from a mother who used it to teach her taumatized adopted child to calm down [http://www.onethankfulmom.com/]) is "I have enough." "This is enough." or (this one is mine) "I am blessed with what I have."

And you know what? It's true.