A new year and new possibilities

Posted by: Cathy

On New Year’s Day, I often think back on the past year and look forward to what I would like to accomplish in the next.    And then I read an email in Daily Good about Resolution12 and a New Year of  “hope, possibility and new beginnings.”  It is about a different kind of New Year where our New Year’s resolutions would not only be about ourselves (losing weight, more exercise, and so on) but about reaching out to brighten the lives of others.    This attitude struck me as it is fundamental to why my husband, Leonard, and I have been so committed over the past couple of years to producing the documentary Threads.

What motivated us to change our lives and work constantly on this documentary?  One of the primary reasons is because we respect the attitude of Surayia Rahman in giving of herself daily to improve the lives of others.   Though Surayia humbly admits that so many young women helped themselves to a better life, we see how her belief in them and her constant dedication as a guide and teacher provided hope, possibility and new beginnings.   Some of these women came to Surayia with little to eat and no skills.  Now, years later, they have been able to feed their families and educate their children, some of whom have graduated from university!  This is opportunity; opportunity made possible by art and by one individual sharing her skills with others.

Each one of us can make a difference.   Tell us your story about making a difference in the development of someone’s life.