I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began this expedition. Although I knew that I was on the right path, I wasn’t quite sure where the path would lead. I had no money to put toward my trip, and I was pretty unsure how I would afford to make it to Atlanta, much less actually be able to raise any money for charity:water. Nevertheless, on Sunday, considering that I was running on a proactive steam since shooting, editing, and uploading ten videos the day before, I had an itch to speak to a local entrepreneurs group called YES 941 about the power of “Yes.”
After John, the founder of the group, gave me the okay, I woke the next morning at 4am with the message I would bring. After speaking to the group, I’d managed to raise $200. Although, I initially considered using that money toward a bus ticket, shortly after, I received a paycheck I wasn’t expecting which allows me to pay my own way, meaning that I have already made $200 for my cause. Another $999,800 and I’ll have reached my goal.
My wife thinks this is the song that I should play for my audition. Last year, “one life, with each other, sisters and brothers” were voted as the best lyrics of last decade. For me, that’s really what it does come down to. Although there is a big part of me that just wants to be onstage and nurture a childhood dream of being a rock star, I want more than just the success that might come with being a famous performer. I want to be of value to the brothers and sisters I may never meet.
In the preamble to the United Nations Charter drafted in December 1948, it states, “Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” Each of our brothers should have the dignity of being given access to clean water. The charter goes on to state in Article 25 that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services.” Although water is not mentioned here, that may be because it is so basic that it wasn’t even given a thought. Yet, here we are, and almost a billion people are not afforded this right.
In a country where over 4% of the population is classified as a millionaire, what value can we bring to those who may watch their children die of thirst? I believe that if we as a people can show enough love to our fellow man by giving them this dignity, and let the freedom of water flow so that they may begin to lift themselves from this most basic of poverties, all of us will begin to become more buoyant.
Please consider donating by clicking on the “donate” button below or by going directly to charity:water.
Thank you.
Steve
Steve McAllister is an actor, musician, accomplished author, filmmaker, and the man behind Your Daily Groove at Modern Hippie Mag. His most recent novel, The McAllister Code is available now as a Limited Edition Advanced Copy paperback. Find Steve on Twitter, @InkenSoul. Read his reviews and articles here.
