Giving Back

Our giving back to others can take various forms. We need to do what fits best for us. This can mean donating money to nonprofit organizations, giving our time to those who are ailing or lacking in skills that we know well, and a lot more. Do what is in YOUR own heart.

Personally, I very much believe in this credo from the King James bible: “To those whom much is given, much is expected.” I have been given a great life – family, friends, meaningful work, and surviving a deadly form of cancer. Therefore, I feel compelled to give back to others. It is an awesome obligation that I cherish, and it makes me happy.

For me, giving back means involvement in several ways. Here are a few of them:

• Donating money to worthy causes. These include health care organizations, religious and social entities (including the U.S. Holocaust Museum), and my alma maters. This even means that I give a few dollars to virtually every local fundraiser standing outside a store. I can afford it and want to make a difference.
• Doing volunteer work and contributing my time to people who are sick and in need. This way, I can share my vision of hope.
• Talking and writing about my personal journey with pancreatic cancer in a public manner. Writing this book has been both cathartic and painful. It was not fun to revisit so many