HOW WILL YOU SPREAD YOUR LIGHT TODAY?

How tired are you of hearing about politicians who don’t care about their constituents or celebrity scandals?  How about striking athletes who make outrageous amounts of money to play sports? Should we not be more concerned about what is happening in our environment or stopping wars?

Imagine if it was your job to inspire positive change in the world?  Would it not be great if you could make a living by helping the homeless, feeding the hungry, helping injured animals or making dreams come true.  It has happened.  Here is the story of how Make-A-Wish began, it is truly inspiring what people can do in order to create positive change for someone else.

Christopher James Greicius dreamed everyday of becoming a police officer.  In 1980, the 7 year-old was being treated for leukemia, which meant his dream would never come true.

A U.S. Customs Officer – Tommy Austin, befriended Chris and his mother – Linda Bergendahl-Pauling and promised that Chris to get him a ride in a police helicopter.  When Chris’ health turned for the worsened, Austin sprang into action by calling Ron Cox  an Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer, and they began planning. 

On April 29, 1980 – Tommy Austin and a caring group of DPS personnel took Chris on a tour of the city in a department helicopter.  Three cruisers and a motorcycle officer greeted him before he met with the DPS command staff where Chris was sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history.  Ron Cox also contacted the company that mad the DPS uniforms and they agreed to custom-tailor a DPS uniform for Chris.  On May 2, Chris was back in the hospital where he asked to have the room arranged so he could always see his uniform, his motorcycle helmet and his ‘Smokey Bear’ style campaign hat.  Chris passed away the next day.  If Tommy Austin and Ron Cox – along with the cooperation of the DPS and Frank Shankwitz, Chris would not be able to have his dreams come true.  Seeing how happy Chris was knowing his wish came true, and that the wish seemed to take some of Chris and Linda’s pain away – they thought they could do the same for other children.  They presented  a plan to the people who helped grant Chris’ wish – Linda and others endorsed the plan and the Chris Greicius Make-A-Wish Memorial (which later became known as Make-A-Wish) was born.

Sometimes it is very difficult for people to find their way out of darkness – especially when they are faced with overwhelming odds but, when people come together and spread their positive light, amazing things happen.  How will you spread your light today?

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!