I recently had the privilege and pleasure of attending a charity benefit supporting mothers and children who have been abused, and as a result, are down and out in our society. The charity was founded by long standing Singer Burke & Company clients who have done extremely well by western capitalism standards. Listening to the heartfelt stories of these battered women and their children, I was reminded that while striving to do well in life is a worthwhile goal, it’s just not enough. Making a difference with what we have makes life worthwhile (see my previous article Do You Have Enough?). I’m extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity available to many of us to make a difference for those who are not so fortunate. I’ve heard it said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give…

“Get a life in which you are generous. Look around at the azaleas
making fuchsia star bursts in spring; look at a full moon hanging silver
in a black sky on a dark night. And realize that life is glorious,
and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply
about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take the money
you would have spent on beers in a bar and give it to charity. Work
in a soup kitchen. Tutor a seventh grader. All of us want to
do well. But if we do not do good, then doing well will never be
enough.”
— Anna Quindlen

With gratitude and appreciation,
Matthew A. Burke