Tweetsgiving 2009: Giving Thanks

Today marks the second year of Tweetsgiving, an awesome initiative by the folks at Epic Change. Last year, Tweetsgiving raised money to build a classroom in Tanzania. This year, there’s even more happening to benefit that school in Tanzania. Read the Tweetsgiving story here.

Radian6 is proudly part of Tweetsgiving this year, and my friend and colleague Danny Brown asked me to be part of it personally as well (and I wouldn’t dream of saying no).

What I’m Thankful For

I was born with the gift of gab, so it would be easy for me to blather on here for miles about all the things – material, personal, esoteric, philosophical – that I’m grateful for. But instead, I’d like to say something rather simple.

I am deeply and eternally grateful for the power of the human spirit, and the freedom and opportunity I have to tap into it at every turn, online and off.

It’s given to me by friends and family through their encouragement, support, and love. It’s shown to me through the good works of people I know that are changing the world in big and small ways. I see it in my daughter as she learns and absorbs the world around her and blossoms into this amazing little person. It’s demonstrated by friends who overcome and persevere despite the obstacles thrown in their way every day. It’s so very evident among the noise on the crazy interwebs when truly amazing people, causes, and companies find one another and forge affinities, partnerships, friendships, collaborations. It’s given me a professional hook upon which to hang my hat, for good, because for once I believe in the very foundation of what I’m out there to accomplish (and one that goes far, far beyond the mechanisms).

I am so thankful that this year has shown me some of the deepest capacities of humans to be, well, human. To be great. To be humble and giving and kind and compassionate. To be generous and smart. To be funny, encouraging, happy, witty, wise.

What I’ve seen this year, what I’ve experienced across the spectrum from beautiful to ugly, has given me so much inspiration to be as deeply good a person as I know how to be. The bar has been set high, and I’m humbled by what I learn and see every day.

So thank you, to each of you who taps and shares your human spirit for the good of the people around you. It truly can move mountains.

Tweetsgiving 2009: Giving Thanks