Emily Cavanagh

This post may be a bit long, as there is so much to say about Emily. I met Emily when she was a bright eyed, bouncy 18 year old. She was a counselor at Camp Eagle Lake. Watching Emily interact and play with the campers, I knew quickly she was special. After getting to know her over the past 10 plus years, I am realizing how special she truly is!

One night she serenaded the campers with a stirring rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". The goose bumps from that performance have never left me. Her talent has grown exponentially since then.

Emily is a singer/songwriter and her 3rd cd, AND BEST, is available today on iTunes and Amazon. I could critique the whole album, as I LOVE every single song. But some songs do stand out more than others to me. Dark was the Night is a tribute song to a friend of hers who survived the Rwanda genocide. If you can listen to that song without feeling emotional, then you need to see a doctor. Flower and Stone is another emotional tribute song, that I can't get enough of. In a Little While is a seductive romantic love song. At least that is how I see it. So It Goes is an upbeat piano song, with fun nostalgic lyrics. And speaking of nostalgic, check out Carnival and references to Coney Island. Or listen to Treehouse for a childhood nostalgia with a 1940s feel and sound to it. Emily's music expands time from the 40s to now and it expands genres from jazzy to bluesy to current Indie Rock roots. You will certainly enjoy the album, I GAURANTEE it!!!

                         
                              I guess she is still bright eyed and bouncy, and just as much fun!!

If this is not enough to convince you to buy Emily's music, know that she is as caring, heart warming person that you will ever meet. She has worked with homeless people in NYC to help them find their "voice"... literally! She helped them to write songs about their lives. Now she is working with an even rougher crowd in the Bronx, helping them by allowing them to use music as a creative outlet! She is as special as they come, so please support her music dreams! You won't regret it, I PROMISE!

           Now Go Out and Hug a Musical Friend Today

Have you ever been told

Have you ever been told you are not good enough, or not smart enough? Well, meet Masha. She is
another wonderful story from Maria's program. Early in life when Masha was an orphan, she was labeled as unintelligent and not even offered to learn anything in the orphanage. She was told she was not smart enough to learn anything! As she grew and got attention and guidance from Maria and friends, her intelligence became obvious!

Masha, who was supposed to have an IQ of less than 50 an unable to learn.... now can speak 3 languages... fluently!! I think I need to check MY IQ now :0).

 

 

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me". ~Stuart Smalley

We all need affirmation at times don't we?

                    Now Go Out and Hug Someone Today
 

No ordinary photo...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Some say a photo should tell it's own story. Well the photo on this post is no ordinary photo, and I feel I need to give more detail about it.

The photo looks like an ordinary flight attendant for Aeroflot. However, this photo is a photo of a friend named Alexander AKA Sasha. It is Sasha's story that is extraordinary, and makes this photo extraordinary too.

Sasha grew up as an orphan. He went thru Maria's Children's program and came out the other side a better man. Before Maria's Children, there were little to no chance of orphans getting any kind of education beyond the orphanage "schooling". They are labeled early in life as unintelligent or crazy. Sasha was given the latter label. Sasha IS crazy fun, but certainly is not crazy in and of itself. He just needed some guidance from somewhere and Maria's program gave it to him.

When orphans turn 16, they are typically sent out of the orphanage on their own. Remember, they have no family to help them outside the orphanage. They are given an apartment with cheap rent and a remedial job like working in a shoe factory. They are typically not allowed into universities because of their labels. They are not typically hired by companies because of their labels. Their prospects are not good. Luckily Maria is changing that slowly.

Sasha is now a flight attendant, making his own way in the world and his self esteem if flying high in the skies with Aeroflot. Congratulations Sasha!

                   Now Go Out and Hug Someone Today

In the moment

People often ask me how I communicate with the kids in Russia. I am usually clowning and communication is mostly non verbal with a few words thrown in for fun. Follow up questions usually are "Do you feel bad you can't get to know the kids better?".  I certainly do wish I could speak the language and have real conversations with the kids. However, my dear friend Anya did alleviate my regret a little by explaining this to me... this is a paraphrase of what she told me, but the point is well taken from me.

"When you clown with the children without speaking their language, then you are in the moment with them! You are not worried about their past or what has happened to them. You are not trying to figure out their future for them. You are just there, IN THE MOMENT, and they need that!"

Very poignant and it makes me smile to think of it. Thank you Anya! Anya had a first hand experience with this when she clowned in Peru last year. She doesn't speak Spanish, so she got to experience the "In the moment clowning" with the kids. She said she LOVED it too! I have to agree, I do LOVE it as well. Not knowing the language offers some funny bits too, so I will continue to clown even if I don't know the language.

                      Anya, one of my dearest friends and most favorite women in the world

                     Now Go Out and Hug a Friend Today

Today we mourn, Tomorrow we RUN!

I have returned from Russia. It was a joyous trip to spend time with friends there and play with the children. I returned to the horrible sadness of Boston! Even though none of it makes sense and the world seems darker today than it did yesterday, I know the human spirit will trudge on and Boston will laugh and play and RUN again!!

There have already been great inspirational stories from the tragedy, and those will be the things I try to cling to. MOST people are still loving, kind and generous and we CAN NOT let the human spirit dampen with each tragedy. We must keep working for solutions to preventions. Overall I believe Anne Frank was still correct in saying..

"Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart" ~ Anne Frank

                                                         "Shamrock Run in Lebanon NH."

I think I might take up running. Someday, I may even run the Boston Marathon. If I do, I will do it as a clown. What do you think?

                       Now Go Out and Hug a Runner Today

 

Penny from Heaven

As I get ready to go to Russia soon, I think of my friend Penny. I met Penny on my first trip to Russia in 2000. As I got to know her better and learned her story, it was remarkable to me...

Penny was fighing ovarian cancer back in 1999 when she met Maria and the children. Maria brought the kids to DC  for an art gallery and Penny lived in DC. She went to meet the kids and Maria and instantly fell in love. Penny promptly went home and told her family she was traveling with Maria and the kids in America for the rest of their tour there. They went to SF and Seattle and NYC. Then she decided to move to Russia. She lived in Russia and worked with Maria's Children for 2 years until her death in 2001. What an amazing way to spend the last two years of a life. She was helping children to have a better life as they get started, while her life was coming to an end.  I hope my last two years of life are that worthy!

I am so glad I met Penny, even though the loss of her hurt bad and still does. She was certainly a gift from Heaven to me and others.

 
     Chip and Penny on a boat in Russia during a summer camp experience with Maria's Children.

"Pennies do not come from heaven. They have to be earned here on earth" ~Margaret Thatcher

As much as I respect Ms. Thatcher, she clearly never met my friend Penny :0)

"Every time it rains, it rains pennies from Heaven". ~ Johnny Burke

Maybe that is why I LOVE the rain so much! I miss my friend Penny, and the rain makes me feel better.

          Now Go Out and Hug Someone Named Penny Today