Be Cause.

So I am going to continue the theme of "causes" for my second post. Don't worry, I'll soon get off my soapbox and start blogging about my preference in coffee drinks and Friends re-runs, but for now bear with me...

I want to tell you about another organization that I started volunteering for about a year ago. Its called The Art of Elysium and I think its pretty great. The sole purpose to the charity is to provide art, music, and acting workshops (among other experiences) to children in hospitals. It isn't really art therapy, though the result is undeniably therapeutic (if not for the children, then certainly for me). With all of the things that the children are dealing with while in the hospital, The Art of Elysium offers an escape. No doctors, no nurses, no exams...simply art. Painting masks, or writing music with a songwriter can do for the human spirit what no medicine can.

When I am doing an art workshop with the kids, I think it is the only time when I am truly out of my own head. Living in Los Angeles and pursuing a career in acting, it is very easy to get bogged down in the "me." For those two hours I leave it all behind. The first time I volunteered it was at Shriner's Childrens Hospital. Spanish is the first language for the majority of the patients at Shriner's...I don't speak Spanish. I quickly found that I could communicate simply through drawing. For two hours I sat and connected with a 7 year old from Mexico and neither of us said a single word. Well that's not entirely true, I'm sure I through in a "What is your name?" spoken very slowly and loudly of course...as if that would have helped.

Anywho, check out www.TheArtofElysium.org There is also a chapter in NYC so don't let three thousand miles hinder your interest in participating...

Also check out www.jrifilms.org They promote awareness for organ transplant and donation... become an organ donor, its a good thing. They have amazing events throughout the US called Share the Beat. (www.sharethebeat.org) The next one is in May in Boston.

Ok, I'm done. Tomorrow's post will be something trivial and mind numbing. Promise.