Just came across this great article about a 14-way kidney transplant that happened in July–both innovative and heroic.
The Something Beyond Greatness Monthly Newsletter highlights some of our favorite blog and Facebook posts of the month, as well as a list of upcoming events and our current reads. Read it here or sign up to have it delivered directly to your inbox in the future.
Join Judy Rodgers, co-author of Something Beyond Greatness, and friends for an evening of camaraderie and thought-provoking conversations on the topic of greatness.
TONIGHT – Friday, July 31
6:30-7:00pm Light Dinner
7:00-8:30pm Conversation
521 Ridge Avenue (between South and Oakton) Evanston, IL 60202
There is street parking around the corner on South Blvd. and also on Elmwood, one block east of Ridge. If you park on Elmwood, our house is across the street from 521 Elmwood and you can come up through the back yard. Call the house at 847-864-0715 if you’d like more information.
About 60 of us talked about the ideas behind Something Beyond Greatness on July 23 in at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center in Cinnaminsin, New Jersey. One woman shared a story about how her car had broken down on a busy freeway a few years ago. Within minutes a truck driver crossed several lanes of traffic to help her. He pushed her over to the edge of the road, and when she climbed out of her car to thank him, he was gone. Another woman talked about her father’s funeral. The family was stunned when person after person stood up to talk about the things her father had done to help them. The family had no idea of the dozens of people whose lives had been changed by his generosity. One man came up quietly after the book signing to say that he wondered how people acquired the courage we talk about in the book. We told him that our research suggests that the generosity and love that is at the heart of heroism and altruism is innate in each person, and that it emerges naturally when we don’t think too much or talk ourselves out of what we are naturally drawn to do.
Judy Rodgers and Gayatri Naraine will be interviewed by Elliott Irving at WFLO in Richmond, VA. **8AM on 870AM** http://www.wflo.net
The show is “Call FLO”. This locally produced morning talk show focuses on local community issues and public affairs in the Farmville, VA area. The show also includes interviews with interesting guests and authors as well as listener phone-in for commentary.
We had a second book party in Boston on Wednesday July 15, this time at the Brahma Kumaris Center in Watertown. About half of those present worked in healthcare. At one point the conversation turned to the differences between acting from a sense of service and acting from a feeling of love. Our friend, nursing leader Joan Vitello shared a beautiful story: “I recently watched a nurse talking with a man who was waiting for a heart transplant. Although she was young, she showed remarkable understanding of what he was feeling as he waited for a donor for his new heart. She sat with him on the edge of his hospital bed for a long time, holding his hand and reminding him of how much he has to live for.” I love these parties. They confirm for me over and over what we found in writing this book. — Judy
Today marks the last day of our virtual book tour–we’ve enjoyed many positive reviews and great questions/comments from interested readers. In addition to each blogger’s unique take on our book, you’ll find these blogs to be great resources for new books to read and reflections on life. Consider subscribing to them and treat yourself to all they have to offer:
July 13 Postively Present
July 9 Book Reviews by Bobbie
July 8 Create A Balance
July 7 The Jungle of Life
July 2 Happy Lotus
June 30 The Bookworm
June 29 In the Shadow of Mt. TBR
June 24 Joyfully Retired
June 23 Worducopia
June 22 Reading, Writing and Retirement
Wednesday night, July 8, 60 people gathered in the Fifth Avenue Meditation Center and Gallery of the Brahma Kumaris for dinner and a talk on Something Beyond Greatness. The group was a real cross section of New York – all ages – from early career twenty-somethings to those in retirement – and from all of Manhattan’s boroughs.
Gayatri had to be with her Father in Toronto, so Judy laid out the search they had embarked on to understand what happens to heroic and generous people in the moment when they do something generous or heroic. In the middle of the evening there was a window of conversation – a chance for those in the room to consider when they had personally witnessed such an act of what they would deem “great.” After the round of conversation, one woman rose to share, saying that she had become a mother when she was quite young and that the experience had caused her to have a nervous breakdown. She described how one day her mother, a single mom herself, came to see her and said she would take over raising the boy. The woman described how this deeply generous act had changed her life and the life of her son. She believes her mom to be one of those great ones we were searching for.
It seems of all the stories of greatness we hear, it is mothers we hear about most often. It may be that their natural vision of love for their children ignites the kind of selfless action we are talking about in this book.
Today’s stop on our virtual book tour awarded us four stars–read the review!
