Wishes Coming True
I think everyone knows about all the great work the Make-A-Wish Foundation does for kids diagnosed with cancer. But there is a similar, wider reaching, unfounded group that does similar work for anyone who finds themselves in tough times. It’s called humanity.
People Can Be Very Giving
When I decided to dedicate whatever time I had left to getting on Letterman, my first step was sharing that dream. At first I told friends and family. Then anyone who would listen. I can’t tell you how many people came out of the woodwork to lend a hand. Some put me in touch with the right people, others helped me hone my act, and others contacted The Late Show to tell them they thought I was good enough.
Incredibly, I didn’t know a lot of these people that were helping me.
Just by putting my dream out there, by not keeping it to myself anymore, I took leaps and bounds towards it. It was a great lesson in humanity: People want to help. As soon as you let people know how they can help, they do.
Put It Out There
I got an e-mail this week from a fan-friend Damien who has had an awful couple years. He’s facing foreclosure and mounting medical bills. Like most of us, Damien’s great at helping, but terrible at asking for help. He wrote me:
“We’ve been donating, volunteering and fund raising for charities for over 20 years… never, in that time, thinking that we would need help ourselves.”
When things got really bad, and Damien didn’t know where to turn he agreed to take part in this newspaper article about high foreclosure rates and families losing their homes.
By sharing his story, Damien let others know how to help.
“We humbled ourselves and asked strangers for help. Well, we got help. We got a lot of help for us and for hundreds of other people, too.”
The World’s Not All Bad
It’s easy to look around and point out all the things wrong with the world. But if you look closer, you can see all the things that are right. Some great things happen when you’re not afraid to share your dreams with others.
So if you need some help, ask for it. If you have a dream, shout it. And if you have a Wish? Make it!
