“The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.” – Leo Rosten... Giving back is so incredibly important to me. If you’ve been following my site for very long, I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about it before – I grew up in pretty sever poverty, but my mom was an amazingly resourceful woman, and found a way to make the absolute bare-bones lifestyle we lived seem magical and full. Growing up, I realized how poor we had been, and how happy we had been able to be even without all of the things that “everyone else” had. This helped me appreciate things more, and work hard for what I wanted. It also made me more compassionate than many other people my age – I was always the one helping to organize fundraisers, rally coworkers to raise money for good causes, or buy a coffee for the person in line behind me.

And now as a mother – my heart has grown even larger. I realize how incredibly hard it is for so many other moms across the world – how the problems I face in my life are so small compared to things like starvation, lack of medical care, and minimal access to things like clean water or education. I do my best to give back in every way that I can, and am always in awe of those people who have found a way to spend their lives making a BIG difference….

Save the Children and Frontline Health Workers Coalition Launch The REAL Awards to Honor Health Workers Around the World

This awards program absolutely touches my heart. In the US, we put way too much emphasis on the importance of celebrities – athletes, actors, musicians, reality stars. Yes, many of them have amazing talent, and are deserving of attention and fame. A beautifully written song sung with true emotion can touch people in a very real, raw way, and can sometimes change lives. Watching an athlete who has trained for years, and performs in a way that very few people ever can – that can be incredibly inspiring. But what about the true heros in the world? Those people who live or travel to work in rough conditions, to help save lives, and make a real difference in our world? I’m talking about health workers.

“Frontline health workers are often community health workers and midwives who provide access to healthcare locally or in the home, although they can also include local pharmacists, nurses and doctors. In the developing world, where well-equipped doctors and hospitals are scarce, frontline health workers are the first and often only point of contact to the health care system for millions of people.” – SavetheChildren.org.

SOME PEOPLE ENLIGHTEN US. SOME PEOPLE ENTERTAIN US. SOME PEOPLE SAVE OUR LIVES.

I’d love for you to join me in supporting this amazing awards program – The Real Awards. Let’s celebrate the accomplishments of frontline health workers across the world, and applaud the real difference that they are making in the lives of other mothers and their families in every country. Let’s show them that they are appreciated. Let’s help The Real Awards grow into something as big as the other awards that get so much attention – the Acadamy Awards, the Oscars, or the Golden Globes. Don’t these amazing people doing awesome things and changing lives deserve just as much attention? If you agree – be sure to spread the word with a tweet, and click the links below to learn more. Thank you for helping the world be just a little bit better and brighter….

• Visit the Real Awards website: Vote for your choices here, Click to Take Action, and Celebrate amazing people.
• Follow the Real Awards on Twitter and Facebook – for awesome updates, and to show support.
• Check out Mom Bloggers for Social Good – This is how I heard about the Real Awards. If you’re a mom blogger who like to join us in spreading the word about amazing people doing amazing things – Join Here.

Forget Reality TV Stars – I’m Supporting the Real Heroes in the World. Join Me – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/11/forget… #theREALawards #GlobalTeamof200

— Meagan Paullin (@SunandSipCups) December 1, 2012

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

{Disclaimer: Photo credit: SabianMaggy. I learned about this cause through Mom Bloggers for Social Good – an amazing group of women using their social media power to do great things and promote amazing organizations. I received no compensation, and all thoughts shared are my own.}