When I first heard about the earthquake in Haiti, I thought, "God, that kinda sucks." I was at dinner with friends at the time and had no idea the extent of the devastation. In the coming days, I learned more through the radio, the internet and Twitter. I toyed with the idea of texting a donation, but was unsure about the legitimacy of sending some random text.

Then there was this story on NPR last night.

In it, they mention a man whose entire family survived, but he was visiting a clinic and holding hands with and comforting people who had lost loved ones, including an eight-year-old girl who lost her entire family. That image in my mind brought tears to my eyes, and I had to be honest with myself about why I've avoided the television. I didn't want to see the images of the destruction, the devastation, and the desperation. Turns out my imagination does just fine on its own.

One thing you should know about me- I'm not a big emotional sap. Sarcastic? Sure. Sappy? Not so much. Or at least I wasn't before I became a mom. Now I find myself more emotional about things, especially those related to children and families. And the image of this man, who found himself so fortunate and so blessed, reaching out to comfort and feed this little, scared, now-orphaned girl, just hit a raw nerve in me. It reminded me how grateful I am for my family and the life I have. And remembering that, how could I not do something to help those less fortunate as well?

And so I'll send my text to help, because it's quick and immediate help, but I feel compelled to do more. From now until the end of January, I'll donate half of all my sales from Three By Sea (my "serene by the sea" shop) and Wide Sarcasm Sea (my sarcastic, snarky greeting card shop) to the American Red Cross relief effort. Even if my shops aren't to your taste, please consider passing on the link to this post or donating directly to the Red Cross itself. Even small amounts add up. As of this morning, the American Red Cross has raised $8 million through texts alone. Amazing.

Take care,
Nicole