Sometimes an AHA moment comes 40 years after our Purpose plants its seed in our hearts. When I agreed to be a speaker at Generation W's forum, "Secrets & Lies," in NYC 2 weeks ago, I could never have imagined it would unearth a personal revelation. Many of you have asked what the "Secret" or "Lie" is that I revealed and here is my Secret: When I was 12 years old, I tuned in to the MDA Telethon on Labor Day weekend and was mesmerized by the man hosting this wonderful show helping children who had Muscular Dystrophy. He stayed up all night with “his kids” as he called them, their families, doctors, nurses, corporate VIPS , fire fighters, business owners, moms, dads and even celebrities, all who wanted to help find a cure. He was amazing, raising millions of dollars from compassionate people who cared. At the end of an exhausting 24 hours, there was a drumroll announcing their goal was met. And the host cried as they played "You’ll Never Walk Alone." And I cried too. The love and devotion and generosity and beauty of everything I witnessed on the screen filled my heart. For many years I watched the MDA Telethon and witnessed, no felt, Jerry’s magic. At the end he cried, every time, and so did I. And I carried a secret through those years – I wanted to marry that man who brought out the love in all of us for those children. I wanted to marry Jerry Lewis.
Jerry Lewis was the first person to show me the power of giving and I continue to be inspired by him and others that put themselves out there to raise awareness for their passions - just this past weekend I enjoyed watching the incredible performances by some of my favorite musicians as they took to the stage in Central Park and performed at the Global Citizen concert. It was wonderful to see people coming together for a great cause.
Maybe we all have Purpose Seeds planted in our hearts. Maybe one day, if we pay attention, we’ll feel our seed blossom, leading us to act. Maybe watching Jerry with “his kids” triggered my purpose with children too, believing that if we all feel and share love and compassion, we can find a way to make things better. Well, I never did marry Jerry. But things worked out even better. I married a man who, when I sheepishly told him I wanted to quit my job to give pajamas and storybooks to children, said, “Go for it!” You deserve to "Go for it" too. If I can help you Find – or Live your Purpose, let me know. Maybe a Purpose Seed in you is ready to bloom.
