Today is the 12th day of my G.U.L.P. project, nearly half way to completion. At times - and there are many of them - it feels like it might as well be twelve months. Not for a moment have I regretted taking this on. I had little idea of what to expect with this 28 day project, experiment really. I was excited to see it evolve, and to hopefully recognize the personal evolution. I did know that my project would result in writing three checks to three exceptional non-profit agencies. I knew that I would have food cravings, though I was relatively confident that they wouldn't be overwhelming (in what seems like a lifetime ago I was a competitive bodybuilder and needed to restrict my diet prior to competition). But never, ever have I imposed such tight limitations on anything in my life. It's been a tough go and at times I've craved some ethereal support.
Though I was raised Catholic (in fact, my wonderful Mom was a nun), I'm not particularly religious. Today, being my 12th day, the age-old song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, came to mind. Tis' the season, after all. Today isn't the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas; the actual origin and counting of the twelve days is complicated. Nonetheless, I found myself silently humming the tune. I couldn't get it out of my head, so I began to substitute my own words. While day for day there aren't parallels, hmmm, there may be a hint of commonality. At least believing it to be so helped me power through the day.
On the first day of Christmas my true love (refers to God) gave to me...come on, sing along...
1 significant challenge (Partidge in a pear tree)
2 blog postings (Turtle Doves - Old and New Testament)
3 important non-profits (French Hens - Faith, Hope, Charity, Theological Values)
4 new recipes (Calling Birds - 4 Gospels or Evangelists)
5 bouts of boredom (Golden Rings - 5 books of the Old Testament)
6 encouraging emails (Geese-A-Laying - 6 days of creation)
7 people teasing (Swans-a-Swimming - 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit, seven sacraments)
8 compassionate acts (Maids-A-Milking - 8 beatitudes)
9 thoughts of doubt (Ladies Dancing - 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit)
10 renewed reasons (Lords-A-Leaping - 10 commandments)
11 displays of gratitude (Pipers Piping - 11 faithful aspostles)
12 reasons for introspection (Drummers Drumming - twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle Creed)
28 Days | $700 | 3 Non-profits
For the next 28 days, from November 27 through December 24, I'll significantly reduce my food choices: I'll eat only 7 foods, 5 condiments, and drink only 1 beverage (what are they? You'll have to read my blog to find out!). Lattes, fish and chips, veggie pad thai, and vino be gone--Yaaouch! By doing this, I will save approximately $700 that I will then donate to three extraordinary, greater-Denver non-profit organizations.
We've all felt the pinch of these tough economic times. Hit especially hard are organizations that function solely to help the most vulnerable among us. Click the links on the right to learn more about the great work of three such organizations, and then cast your vote. Your vote will determine the percentage of the $700 that each organization will receive. I encourage you to influence the votes of others–but please only vote once. I'll blog about my G.U.L.P. journey and update my progress daily. If you scroll down, you'll find my daily blog postings. Your comments are encouraged!
WHY FOOD, WHY NOW? I wanted my G.U.L.P. choice to be a significant but realistic sacrifice. Food seemed an obvious choice for several reasons: First, I spend a lot of money on food. Not just basic sustenance, but on brunches, dinners out, pricey markets, happy hours, and expensive take-out. When I reviewed my budget and found that I spend roughly $700 each month on eating and drinking, I realized I needed to check this luxury. Second, I think the act of eating is relatively thoughtless for many of us--it has been for me. The question isn't what will I eat, but rather, what do I want to eat. Finally, I chose this time of year for my G.U.L.P. project because the holidays tend to intensify our emotions. For those who have plenty, it’s often a time of celebration and feelings of joy can be readily identified. For those who are barely getting by, the holidays can be agonizing.
JOIN ME: What would you give up for 28 days? I have chosen to limit food choices, but that's just one idea. If each one of us gave up a non-essential item, service, or even a certain food for a manageable period of time--something that we've been conditioned to believe is a need rather than a want, and commit the money saved to an effective community organization, imagine the impact! If you decide to give something up--and I hope you do!--I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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