“That’s what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” ~Simone de Beauvoir

Two days before the next, big adventure begins! I am filled with mixed emotions. Excitement about all the beautiful places and wonderful people I’ll be visiting, apprehension due to towing “Hobbes” and learning the inevitable lessons (i.e. mistakes) that will come with owning this new travel trailer and sadness because of being away from my best friend and love of my life Cindy for an extended period of time.

 I’d like to address the concept of “Giving Back.” For the first 42 years of my life there were times when I practiced this notion, however I must confess, it usually was accompanied with the thought of “what’s in it for me?” How selfish right? Well, I’d like to think I’ve changed. And I have, but not necessarily in the way you might expect. I’m happy to report that by “Giving Back”, in whatever form this takes, be it holding a door for someone, volunteering, donating to a worthy cause or even something as simple as a friendly smile and a “hello”, these actions DO indeed benefit you and me! So, “what’s in it for us?” A most wonderful sense of internal contentment and inner peace with ourselves.

For the last few weeks I’ve been using an app on my phone called Charity Miles while running. It’s very easy to use, offers a variety of charities to choose from and is supported by corporate sponsors like Humana, Johnson & Johnson, MasterCard, Kenneth Cole, Timex Sports and others. These corporations are reallocating their advertising/media budgets, which in the past have been spent on banner ads, for social good. However, in light of the fact that some charitable organizations only give a small (less than 75%) of the donations received to those directly in need of them, I refer to Charity Watch to see which charitable foundations are insuring that 75% or more actually goes to those in need.

In an effort to be more interactive with those who might be following me along this journey (running trails across the U.S. and Canada in case you forgot 😉 I’d like to propose this: I am going to post my tentative itinerary of where and when I will be running and if anyone would like to donate to a cause they feel passionate about I will run those miles for your charity. Here’s how it works: first of all, I DO NOT WANT ANY MONEY!! What I do want is for you to pledge a minimum of $5.00 per mile (with a 5 mile minimum distance, i.e. $25 minimum donation) to the charity of your choice. I will post my trail route with photos of the scenic views along the path that day and thanking you (unless you prefer to remain anonymous) for your support of the charity you wish to donate to that day. In an “Honor System” format I trust everyone who makes a pledge will send their donation directly to the charity of their choosing (remember the Karma police are watching :). If there is a specific location I will be running/hiking and which has a special meaning for you, I will be happy to schedule that run/hike for you, otherwise I will run/hike for your cause in the order I receive the pledge. And no worries, if I don’t have anyone sponsoring the run/hike that day, I’ll simply post my trail route, pics and the charity I choose to support that day. It’s just a little way for us to “Give Back” for all the good others have done for us.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge just a few of the people and organizations that have been so generous to me over the years and who have allowed me to get to this point in my life. By far, my loving mother Elizabeth Rowley has been my biggest supporter and has never given up on me (even in my darkest times).

My loving wife Cindy who when I asked her in my early days of sobriety “Why did you stay with me?” answered “Because I see the good that is in you.”

My sisters Cathy, Betty (sorry EJ) and Pat who put up with all my brattiness as a kid and still tolerate me to this day.

Pete and Rose, the best in-laws a guy could hope for and who provided the best one liner at Cindy’s and my wedding reception by offering the following commentary:

Rose: “Cindy and Bill don’t freak out, but the wedding cake got smashed.”

Pete: “Well, better the cake than the groom.”

With regard to organizations I’d like to give a thanks and a shout out to Crossroads Antigua, Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies (especially to Dr. Dan “The Man” Frigo) and The Edgewood Treatment Center in Nanaimo, BC in Canada for giving me my first job as a Professional Addictions Counselor.

Well, that’s it for now. My next blog entry will be written as I travel the happy road of Destiny!

HAPPY TRAILS!!