24/11/2008

Walking the streets of Madrid these days the only word that comes to mind is transformation. Everything seems to be slowly changing. The weather, which every day seems to be a round trip between early autumn and early winter. The store fronts, car dealerships and antique stores turning into flagship stores of established brands like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Tiffany's & Co. What used to be nightly hot spots are closing, and a buzz is circling the new ones that are opening. And perhaps even Madrid's faces, are acquiring new expressions, between softer solidarity and pressured panic. It is all part of the upcoming holiday season. Or maybe it is just life in a world where thankfully, everything changes. For Soren Kierkegaard even the soul was not something formed, but that which is in the process of becoming. So thinking about what to do, these days in Madrid, perhaps an answer is to help your soul along in it's own transformation, and give. Madrid can be a city that helps you change, Madrid is definitely a city in which to give. So here is a list of places where you can give and join in our karmic transformation.

www.Idealistas.org

This is a fantastic web page that puts people in contact with local and grassroots organizations they can collaborate with. More than 80.000 organizations are listed on the web site, and more than 500.000 people have joined the community. Through the site you can define how you would like to collaborate, money or time, and to what kind of organization, from helping children to fighting Aids or working for a cleaner environment, and the web site gives you a contact list for the best places for your needs. Join them, or even just give to them, they're great.

Red Cross
www.cruzroja.es
You know, they always need blood...

Doctors without Borders/ Medicos Sin Fronteras
www.msf.org

One of my favourites, they are on the frontlines where people really need them...

Aldeas Infantiles
www.aldeasinfantiles.es/aldeas/home

This is a Spanish organization that focuses on children's needs around the world...

Samur

The Samur is Madrid's Municipal Service for Emergency Rescue. but these men and women are global heroes, often sent to crisis situations around the world to share their highly trained expertise and help out even tsunami victims. They really are outstanding, their web site is a bit complicated, but if you put the word donaciones in the search engine you will find different projects you can collaborate monetarily with.

http://www.munimadrid.es/portal/site/munimadrid/menuitem.f4bb5b953cd0b0aa7d245f019fc08a0c/?vgnextoid=c88fcdb1bfffa010VgnVCM100000d90ca8c0RCRD&vgnextchannel=942c9ad016e07010VgnVCM100000dc0ca8c0RCRD

Allow me a few final words. I hate preachy people too, so you know what, let's make a deal. Give, and if it doesn't make a small miracle happen in your life, if doesn't make you feel good, then write to me on this web site, and I'll find a way to make it up to you. Preachy scout's honor.