Abundance

There is a Buddhist parable that tells of a man swept into the waters of a raging river. In panic he grasps for something solid - a rock!  Holding on with terrified certainty he drowns, burdened by the extra weight.  Burdened as well by his unwillingness to let go, to try something equally terrifying but full of promise - his survival.

Summertime and the living is easy. Except for cyclists in the grandest sporting event of the summer, Le Tour de France. And perhaps solution focused advocates. It may be the perfect time to maintain momentum - the secret of successful bike racing and lobbying.

From the Amazon listing:

"This is a riveting and redemptive family memoir. Donna Thomson’s vivid descriptions of her own experience in treading delicately through daily care, medical emergencies and the medical bureaucracy as she and her family cope with her son Nicholas’ cerebral palsy is both inspirational and instructive. From the first tentative diagnosis to Nicholas’ celebration of his 21st birthday last summer, Thomson examines how she and her family have tried, with various degrees of success, to cope with Nicholas’ needs, while at the same time ensuring that their lives (as well as Nicholas’) have value and dignity. Donna Thomson’s own experience with adversity takes on new meaning when viewed through the lens of Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen and other philosophers’ roadmaps of how to realize a good life against all odds. This lens includes not only people with disability, but also the enormous generation of post-WWII Baby Boomers who are beginning to sense the health care crisis that is looming as they deal with their own aging and increasingly infirm parents. Donna Thomson’s brilliantly written family memoir provides a strong, original message that touches on the lives of anyone caring for the needs of another."

Not sure why some non profit leaders, advocates and academics dismiss the growing social finance developments so readily and without serious consideration. This lack of curiosity is irresponsible.

We can learn a lot from successful social, economic and environmental justice movements. They give us clues, tips and inspiration about tactics and strategies we can adopt.

Always the consummate resource for families, BACI has created UNTAPE:

About UNTAPE

UNTAPE is a site where people with disabilities and their families come to share practical tips for cutting through red tape and getting the help you need.

Governments and bureaucracies are supposed to be there to help us. And the people who work there mean well. But systems, forms, rules and requirements can get complicated. And if you need to deal with more than one office... or, worse, more than one level of government... well, then it can become a nightmare.

That's where UNTAPE comes in. Every day, someone like you finds a way through the bureaucratic maze. And this site is where they can come to share what they've learned.  Do you know how to get services for people with disabilities? Found a way to get a permit quickly? A community program most people don't know about? A way to bypass a ministry's voicemail and talk to a human being? You can share all these and more here... and find out what people like you have discovered, too.

How do you spot the difference between a fad and a trend?

Written by Tim Draimin