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Jamie Lee Curtis

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The Nobility of Work

Posted: 01/16/09 10:30 AM ET

"I believe in the nobility of work. Work allows us to help others and I believe that even the smallest act of kindness, even the most seemingly insignificant work done in the service of others brings us into alignment with our own deepest self and in some mysterious way with that which is greater than ourselves." -- Kelly Weston

These great words and ideas were sent to me in a letter of gratitude. I too believe in the nobility of work. There is a great Irish proverb, "Nodding your head does not row the boat."

At this time of great need, I pledge to devote my extra time and financial resources to the greatest need for advocacy, Children's Hospitals and services for sick children. A child whose life is compromised by illness and the families of those children know no freedom or happiness. They are struggling to maintain their family structure while caring for the sick child. There are numerous institutions, at this time of financial crisis, that need your time and energy and money. Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Mattel Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital Central California, CHOC, The Children Affected by Aids Foundation and Starlight/Starbright are some that I am continuing my work with. Read to a child, volunteer to play in the recreation rooms. Offer the parents in the hospital a chance for a break, a lunch, haircut, walk in the sun...anything. Bring a portable DVD player and DVDs to let children escape the hospital with the wonderful entertainment available. Make meals and offer to help the families of sick children by providing meals and carpools.

Take the pledge
Join Jamie Lee Curtis on her pledge to help Children's Hospitals and services for sick children.

There is a growing sense of National Unity that I only heard about growing up. It feels like the times they are a changing. Feel the change. Be the change.

Row the boat!


 
 
 
"I believe in the nobility of work. Work allows us to help others and I believe that even the smallest act of kindness, even the most seemingly insignificant work done in the service of others brings...
"I believe in the nobility of work. Work allows us to help others and I believe that even the smallest act of kindness, even the most seemingly insignificant work done in the service of others brings...
 
 
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03:51 PM on 01/21/2009
I pledge to start putting myself first, I work two job, volunteer and I am struggling to make ends meet. By the way I have a Bachelors and Masters degree.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
laurenmodery
07:24 PM on 01/21/2009
haha...i love it.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
impatient
01:35 PM on 01/20/2009
The problem is that I already work all of the hours I am not cleaning my house or sleeping. I work seven days a week, and I work at lest 80 hours per week. And then there's laundry and cooking and cleaning and running your life.

So how am i supposed to fit extra service in there?
01:54 AM on 01/20/2009
Yes, needy children, that is a very worthwhile charity. Our children are so very important, they are the future of the world. I find it so very funny that you have to study and pass a test to drive a car, or to fly an airplane, or to have a college degree to do so many professions. Yet anybody who has reached puberty can create a child. Now that Barack Obama has been elected president, when his father left him when he was two years old, and his mother was really unfit to be a mother, and he was raised by his grandmother, and yet he made it all of the way to be president of the U.S.A., what are the odds of that every happening to anybody under the same situations? I would say exactly zero. Money would be better spent for protection of having unwanted babies, than to raise unwanted children
09:14 PM on 01/19/2009
It would be so very good for this country if the people decide just where their (our) money should go, and not rely on our government to hopefully do the right thing with our money that we pay in taxes, which mostly goes to government workers. I have always felt that we (the tax payers) should be allowed to donate our money to whatever cause we think will do the best with our money. Our government is getting progressively worse with how they spend the money that they steal from us. If we decide that we want to donate our money to any legitimate charity, then we should get a dollar for dollar reduction in the taxes that we pay. We, the people know where we want our money to go to, and if you decide not to donate to a worthy cause, then you will pay the taxes on what you earn. Let's say that you want our roads and bridges to be improved, you should have the choice to give your money for that cause. If you feel that we need a strong defense, then you should be able to donate your money to that. If you want to pay for space exploration, and NASA, then you could do that. Why should the government decide the priorities for the money that we earn?
01:13 AM on 01/20/2009
Now this is a radical idea..... Why do the people in Congress get to vote on if they get a raise or not? Why cannot we, the people decide if our congress representatives get a raise or not? And congress has only a 17% approval rating. If you, as a worker only had a 17% approval rating, do you think that you would get a raise? No, more than likely, you would be fired... But we the people who vote for our representatives in congress still vote in the same losers, we do not fire them.. Would your boss take a vote to see if you should be fired or not? I doubt it. So all Americans should have a vote as to whether or not our representatives in congress get a raise or not. And we, the people of the U.S.A. should get a vote on which of our congresspersons get fired, and not just their constituants. Instead of just voting democrat or republican, we should have the decision if a representative should be fired, and if they are fired, then a new election will be held with new candidates, rebublicans, democrats, or independents, libretarians, whoever wants to run
01:20 PM on 01/19/2009
Be the change, don't beg for change.
10:00 AM on 01/19/2009
Absolutely, anyone who can should definitely volunteer!
10:00 AM on 01/19/2009
nice piece
09:50 AM on 01/19/2009
Way to go Jaimie Lee. I hope everyone will see the important things that need to be done in this country. Great article.
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03:17 AM on 01/20/2009
Jamie,
Well said!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
SG Phillips
09:11 AM on 01/19/2009
Here, here! And may I add to those who care about sick children: Please pay particular attention to cancer charities for children...some are better than others, and the best are addressing the need for more RESEARCH into pediatric cancers. Some of the most well-known "cancer charities" are ignoring children, and ignoring the alarming rise in new cases of pediatric cancers. When the number of children getting cancer each year is going up THREE PERCENT IN A SINGLE YEAR, all the parents should be screaming for answers as to why this is happening.

You go, Jamie Lee! Help a child, make the world better.
Right there with you,

Susan
09:00 PM on 01/18/2009
I feel the change,because I am an American carpenter.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cayuse
Soaring Eagle, soaring to Spirit from the ego self
07:03 PM on 01/18/2009
My wife and I to work 280 miles away in either Portland or Seattle. She lost her outsourced job and I lost $2.00 and hour in mine. This is the work we do to survive. It is high in American standards. In fact it probably is in the TOP 15% across the country. But 1/3 or more goes to two residence. But least we can drive the 4 hours each way because flights are so few and delayed hours or the whole week ends.

We do love both worlds, but we love our own the most. As windmills are filling these open spaces. I know my countrymen treasure Americas nature. But know so little that these are not cows or wheat they are utility companies. That they are not cheap yet we people are paying, at any price, for them from both sides to the middle. Why do we pay so much to charge ourselves for GODS electricity. National Defense and well being and we mus pay so much to those who have it all have and want more and cannot get enough.

It defies the Laws of Nature and Natures God.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Gidster
Not so much Liberal as I am anti evil.
09:53 PM on 01/18/2009
God does not produce electricity.

Sorry for your confusion.
11:07 PM on 01/18/2009
Say wha.....????
03:41 PM on 01/18/2009
I don't know about nobility - I was just taught to do the right things right and right away.
12:04 PM on 01/18/2009
Shouldn't we care about all children in the world?
The success of the propaganda put out by Israel, who disregards International Law, ignores the Geneva Convention Rules, starves and kills a population, then wonders why it fights back. Israel has been complicit in the deaths of over 400 innocent children. Israel bombed a UN school.......children
a hospital............more children. Israel, where are its' borders anyway??

There is much work to be done to undo the willful ignorance Americans have toward this unjust situation.
Perhaps voices like Ms. Curtis could assist in speaking the truth about children and families who are trying to live under oppressive Israeli occupation. Only in America do people hear only one side of this sad story. Even jon stewart compared the I/P conflict to a "mobius strip"--there is only one side in the USA. 400 children have been brutally murdered, some shot at point blank range. And no outrage.

Military domination is easy when the USA is on your side but the only lesson learned is hatred, it's still terror ----just with a bigger budget.
12:31 AM on 01/19/2009
I'm with you about the routine collective punishment that Israel dishes out, but this conflict was started Hamas and they are killing their own children by using them as shields. I bet if some other country was shooting rockets at your neighborhood, you would want to use the superior might of our military to put a stop to it. I also bet that the US or Israeli forces would never choose battle positions like a school that would cause civilian deaths just so they could take pictures to the international press to gain sympathy. Hamas is 100% in the wrong on this one, and they only get sympathy from liberals who always take the underdogs' side. There's no logic in that. The Palestinian militants are the ones who always provoke war; and who collects the most casualties is a function of who is weaker, but has nothing to do with who is right.
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11:51 AM on 01/18/2009
Your financial resourses are'nt going to amount to much more than a hill of beans. If only the U.S. had what every other developed country in this world has, that would make a differance. But everytime the subject comes up, someone will say they don't want their tax dollars to pay for it.
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08:18 AM on 01/18/2009
Work is not and can not be noble. A person can be and this author is.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nobility

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Haden-Guest

People can be noble and most of the time are. They help each other out and usually it is done quietly and without the expectation of recompense. I work for money to survive, but I help others to thrive.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
23000Days
Life: Tragedy for feelers, Comedy for thinkers.
03:28 PM on 01/18/2009
Geez! "The nobility of work...." only indicates that it is a noble gesture.
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08:46 AM on 01/19/2009
Thanks, I was confused by the meaning but now that you have redefined it......