I’ve always loved the fall. Harvest season, autumn; our transition from the heat of summer towards the cool tranquility of winter. Autumn is a bold reminder of an axiom of life–we reap what we sow! This is the law of Harvest. No crop will emerge to be harvested without their first being seeds sown; conversely, whatever we sow in life will inevitably produce something, sometimes good and sometimes not so much.
Smiles, tears, and cheers filled the air at Nick and Jessica's vow renewal. A collection of San Luis Obispo Wedding Vendors came to together to create for the couple their dream day. Oyster Ridge, a Santa Margarita wedding venue, was the perfect location to renew their vows after 8 years of marriage. Amber from Karson Butler Event's designed the couples rustic barn wedding, while Cameron Ingalls and Roman Howell Films captured the day.
No one’s path in life is straight, without mountains to climb and valleys to cross. For foster youth, their mountains often appear much too early in life--oftentimes at birth. And without a community to look out for them, to help them weather and cross the difficult terrain that surfaces through not fault of their own, they can be left to wander, uncared for, for life. Too often, these individuals become victims of their circumstances, suffering cyclical consequences of a lifepath they never got to choose.
Volunteerism should be a big deal in our country. It is universally valued--nobody in their right mind would say disparaging words about volunteers or volunteering. Not everyone can be a philanthropic giver, but most everyone can be a volunteer. You don’t have to have wealth or material resource; you just need to have time, heart and a sense of adventure. Volunteering is not age constrained and can be enjoyed by both the young and old. Volunteering is not only good for society--organizations like the Family Care Network depend on it--but it’s good for you, the Volunteer.
Over the course of the past month, I have given extra thought to the concepts and reality of “foster care”, primarily because May is National Foster Care month. As I thought about “what” foster care really is and includes, I quickly became overwhelmed. Broken down into small parts such as foster children, foster parents, Foster Family Agency, social worker, therapist, Community Care Licensing, etc. and “foster care” can be understood and managed in my small mind. However, “foster care” in its entirety is a complex and complicated system. As I struggled with the question of “What is foster care, really?” my simple mind would soon turn to thoughts of Disneyland. Now, those of you who have been or are currently in foster care or may have a daily connection to “foster care”, are probably thinking: “This guy has lost all connection to reality,” because foster care and Disneyland may seem like complete opposites.
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