Guest Blog by Rebecca Rodriguez

The friends of my late co-blogger, Joan Grey, are many and come from diverse fields, all uniting at the wish to do good things for all people. The following blog is an ernest request for help from Joan’s friend, Rebecca Rodriguez:

I have been privileged to focus on personal development these last few years in which I have been uber intentional.  Aristotle was right, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” In Lao Tzu words , “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.

In a course through MindValley, www.mindvalley.com the teacher, an Asian country national, made an interesting comment that caught my attention and caused me to hit the pause and rewind buttons.  “People from the U.S. go, go, go and give, give, give but they don’t know how to receive.”  Richard Rohr, the beloved Franciscan priest, https://cac.org/about/our-teachers/richard-rohr/  echoes this sentiment often pointing out how culturally, our “independent nature gets in our way”.  Both these gentlemen hit on a tender spot, which I have had to self-examine, go a little bit deeper; part of the personal growth journey. 

It’s hard to be vulnerable and ask for help – at least for me it is.  Is that pride?  Is that a cultural norm that just facilitates me hitting the default button and choosing to do it my way?  Whatever answer I choose to make peace with, I have recently started a new business endeavor and there is no way I can do it alone. This new business is a 501c3 entity, a community land trust to provide “affordable” housing to people who face barriers.  

The journey of life, an amazing adventure, allows us to make choices ultimately to experience life – to grow, to self-actualize, to expand or not. 

In this pilot phase of building two of four units a national donor has given me an opportunity to become vulnerable and ask for help.  Yes, it is a new experience for me, causing me to stretch and experience a tiny bit of awkwardness.  The end result will be great because it will be for the benefit of a community. A $45K dollar for dollar challenge grant is offered.  $90K would just about cover the completion of these first two units.  I have got the go, go, go part down.  And yes, I am a giver. So here is my “ask” so I can learn to be a gracious receiver.  Please consider making a donation to help us complete the building of two affordable units.  To learn more about this opportunity check us out https://bnte.us/sc/UB3wwyAg .  Thank you and peace to you and your family this giving season.   — Rebecca Rodriguez

© Jane F. Collen  December 18, 2023

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