How Does Purpose Inspire Vision?
About 10 years ago I was struggling to understand my purpose for being here and did a coaching session with my mentor, Lynn Stewart. Not knowing my purpose made me feel lost and distressed, and I was desperately seeking to find meaning in my life. What became clear to me was the following: I love beauty, both inside and out.…not superficial glamor but the authentic, raw beauty that inspires and heals. Beautiful landscapes, beautiful living environments, people with beautiful hearts, beautiful cultures, beautiful music and food.
I came to realize that I enjoy capturing beauty through my photography and filmmaking and creating it by organizing meaningful experiences for people through transformational workshops, personal or business coaching sessions, informal gatherings and fundraising events.
Just over a month ago, after seeing the tragic photos of Ukraine women and elders taking up arms to defend their right to exist, I wept.
I wept for Ukraine, for humanity, for my father and uncle who were forced to flee Hungary in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution because the Soviets were chasing them. Watching the endless barrage of images of people suffering made me feel so helpless. And then, I knew I had to do something. I called a friend of mine, Cindy Feinberg, and asked her if she would be willing to partner with me in putting on a fundraiser for Ukraine. Without blinking an eye, she was on board.
It was only after immersing myself in this project that I realized that in addition to raising urgently needed funds for Ukraine, my need to create beauty was guiding my vision for this event. Guests will have the opportunity to experience the beauty and resiliency of Ukraine and its people through the eyes of our local Ukraine friends. Miroslava Kisilevitch, a local Ukraine resident, will be playing a Ukraine piano recital; there will be traditional Ukraine hors d’oeuvres, an art exhibit and a short educational program on the history of Ukraine.
Working on this project for the last several weeks has reinforced how important connecting with our purpose can be. Without realizing it, my purpose guided Cindy and me in being able to pull off a fundraiser in a very short period of time. There has been little, if any, resistance from the many people we have asked to help and support our efforts. On the contrary, everyone has been eager to help, and everything has just fallen into place. In my heart of hearts, I know that we have created something very beautiful, and we are looking forward to sharing it with you. While space is limited, tickets are still available.
All amounts are welcome and will make a difference.
97% of proceeds go directly to Direct Relief which has earmarked these funds for Ukraine.