My cause is kindness

Lately it feels like every time I turn on the radio or open my news app, it’s more bad news. The plight of the refugees in Europe and the Middle East. The deadly mudslide in Guatemala. The sinking of the El Faro in the Atlantic. The mass shooting in Oregon. And that’s just last week.

Given that I’m a winner of what Warren Buffet has called the “Ovarian Lottery,” I feel mostly protected from this fear, sadness, and loss. I should be filled with gratitude, and for brief moments, I am. But when I’m not, I’m filled with guilt instead. I start thinking about all the ways I take from life instead of giving back. I wonder if there’s a cause I could really get behind. A cause in need of not just my money but also my time and whatever talents I have to offer. A cause that means something to me.

I run through this cycle fairly often. It doesn’t mean that I don’t find causes worthy of giving to. I do, whether that’s funding a worthy teacher’s project through DonorsChoose.org or supporting my friends who are walking or cycling in support of a cure for breast cancer or multiple sclerosis. I’ve also found organizations to contribute my time to, like the Bayview Mission or Eastside Prep. But I still haven’t found that one thing where I’m all in.

More recently, though, I’ve started realizing this might not be the point. At least, not right now. Maybe one day I’ll find my…