jennifer

What are Miracles from Heaven?  Jennifer Garner stars in this movie about a child who is dying from a rare disease and is miraculously saved as a result of a freak accident.  As a mom, it was difficult watching some of this movie, because I felt every emotion, as if that child was mine who was in so much pain and suffering.  I felt the anguish of the mom not knowing how to save her own child.  And then ultimately when there was nothing else left to do but pray, I dug into my own soul to see the depth of my own faith and belief in G-d. The movie was brilliant in reminding us that there are miracles everywhere. It reminds us that we are all connected.  It reminds us that miracles could be as big as a cure for a very sick child to the miracle of  a stranger being a secret angel in a time of need.  This movie was real, it pulled at your heart strings and it reaffirms what I believe, there are G-dly messages everywhere, whether it be wisdom shared in a church or synagogue or going to a Moms event with Jennifer Garner.  G-d talks to everyone in different ways, this time it’s through one of America’s biggest and brightest stars, Jennifer Garner.  Miracles from Heaven are everywhere and it’s up to us to keep our hearts and eyes open to be witness to them. Thanks Moms for always having interesting and thought provoking events that make you ponder the meaning of life.  Save 1 Person. Save The World one miracle at a time.

1/16

I worked at TV networks years ago, and I loved the glitz and glamour of it.  What it lacked for me sometimes was meaning. I remember promoting Cindy Crawford’s latest look at the beach or Monica Lewinsky’s sexcapades and I would think is this all there really is in life? After I left the fast paced environment of the TV industry, I started a non profit called Save 1 Person.  Although I love this work, and there’s nothing more fulfilling than to see your team, as part of the process to save a life, at times this work can be very heavy.  Since I’ve been attending, The Moms events (Themoms.com) it’s been combining two worlds I love, one of intrigue and one of meaning.  Since, I’ve been attending the Moms events it reminds me that there are many, many ways to save a life. Quite, often it’s sharing stories of hope, inspiration and courage from all walks of life.  Everyone has a story that can touch, move and inspire others to carry on and fight the good fight despite the obstacles along the way. And we need desperately to hear these stories, to know we are not alone. And that others have persevered and others have created a path, and if they can overcome their challenges, we can too.

 
This time, the Moms spoke with Hoda Kotb from the Today show.  Hoda had her own battles and challenges from surviving breast cancer to divorce to many other obstacles along the journey. What was particularly touching at the event was when two women stood up to share their own personal challenges with tears and frustration. Hoda got up to hug and cry with these women and to offer words of hope.  I can’t help think, when people can genuinely cry with you, it’s because they’ve experienced similar pain. And at the end of the day we want to know we are not alone in our struggles. And when we can see others have perserved despite the hardships, it offers a ray of light in a dark tunnel we may be feeling in the moment.
 
What Hoda brings, now, to the world, is a book called Where We Belong, Journeys, That Show Us The Way.  The book features various real life stories of people who overcame great adversity and succeeded in their fields of choice and life despite the curve balls the universe threw at them. From the ordinary man to the famous, you hear and feel their struggles and cheer with them as they beat the odds.  I think at the end of the day, we are so focused on results, that we forget the beautiful jewel we become along the journey.  There are many ways to save a life, giving someone the strength to carry on in darkness, surely saves the world.

8/6/15salma

The Moms (Themoms.com) had two events last week that were fun, thought provoking and soulful.  One event was all about Salma Hayek, from my understanding, Salma worked very hard in getting out a movie, Kahlil Gabrin’s, The Prophet.  It is being marketed as a kids’ movie, in my opinion it’s anything but a kids’ movie.  I applaud Salma Hayek, for going against the norm in Hollywood and getting out a movie that’s spiritual, g-dly and thought provoking about life, work, love and the soul’s journey.  I was shocked at the depth of the film. I pondered during the movie what is a body and what is a soul.  These questions arose through the poetry and animation presented in this unique movie….Going off on a tangent, not so long ago, I was approached by a Tv production company to do a reality tv show based around the concept of Save 1 Person, where we highlight weekly one person in the media who needs life saving help. I declined the agreement, because what they wanted to do with the message of Save 1 Person, was to basically buy it into exclusivity. Save 1 Person would not be allowed to support others in need of a living organ donor according to the agreement, which is against the whole mission of Save 1 Person. Similarly (or not)  in this movie, the main character in this film, was asked to go public to his followers that his works / teachings were not real.  The main character declined this offer and then suffered the worldly consequences. The anology I’m drawing between the two is in life, sometimes you have to follow your soul’s truth and not what looks good on paper.  Or as Tony Robbins says, “I am the Voice” which means you don’t have to have followers being the voice, you just have to follow your own truth.  This movie left me questioning, what is life and what is death and what really saves lives?  I think each person’s interpretation of this question is different and we all have to choose what really save lives in many different ways that present itself in our own lives?

6/15/2015billhadar

In life there are life lessons everywhere that are life saving.  This time I found a very important message in the movie “Inside Out”. The Moms (Themoms.com) had a screening of the movie “Inside Out” with a talk from one of the star’s of the movie Bill Hader before the movie (Bill played the character fear).  Although this is a children’s film it had important messages for all.  There were little animated people, who according to this kid’s film, live inside our heads, which consist of fear, joy, disgust, sadness and anger.  In this movie, joy tried to take over everywhere in a little girl’s head who moved from one state to another.  What we learn through the adventures of this movie, is we need an outlet for all of our emotions, and that’s healthy.  If you try to suppress sadness than joy can’t follow, by people and loved ones relating to you, helping you and showing they care.  If you eliminate one emotion, other feelings can’t come to the rescue.  I can’t help to think at Save 1 Person, quite often when someone is sick, loved ones step up to the plate, and people you had no idea care, shine their brightest. Isn’t saving a life, sometimes helping others ride the challenges and emotions of life?

4/29/2015

motherday
The Moms (Themoms.com) had an outstanding event celebrating mothers. There was a panel of celebrity and entrepreneurial moms, at this event, all making a difference in their communities and the world at large. The panel consisted of actress Melissa Joan Hart, county superstar Jo Dee Messina, “Orange is the new Black” actress, Alysia Reiner, Maureen Sullivan the president of AOL.com and Shelly Ross, President of The Cure Alliance, just to mention a few of the amazing rock stars on this panel. The woman who stood out the most to me was Shelly Ross. A veteran of TV who worked at ABC, CBS, NBC for many years. At Save1person, as much as it’s about saving one person through the media, one of the goals is shining light on systems that are not working and then improving the system so many more lives can be saved. That’s exactly what Shelly Ross is doing through the Cure Alliance.
 
As much as when tragedy strikes it traumatic and awful and some people fall in despair for the rest of their lives. Others raise to the challenge and become more beautiful than ever. In the past, I’ve spoken to Garett hill who started the National Kidney Registry which has saved countless lives of people who need kidneys, Garett Hill started this organization after his own daughter needed a kidney. I’ve seen a father raise millions to find a cure for brain cancer after his son died of this disease. And at this event, I just met Shelly Ross who after her own health issue joined forces with the Cure Alliance.
 The Cure Alliance is an invitation only non-profit group of top scientists, researchers, medical doctors and innovators plus those who support those efforts to end suffering by developing cures for chronic, debilitating, and fatal diseases. It’s #1 goal is to help accelerate potential cures from the laboratory to the bedside .I may not explain this correctly, because I don’t fully understand, Shelly told me there may be a master switch to turn off cancer, and why the process has been halted is because a man in Germany (I think), holds the patent to this “master switch”and going until a legal battle would be a nightmare. One of Shelly’s goals is to get this process started so this master switch can be used to save countless lives. Simply amazing!  True beauty is found with the people who have enough courage to see a problem and then dedicate their time and resources to fix the problem. Thanks Moms,  for always reminding us the true beauty of mothers from all walks of life. Save 1 person. Save the world.

4/2015

 

When I was eight or nine, my dad took me to see the movie “The Champ”. I remember my dad looked at me during the movie and said, “are you crying?”.  I said dad don’t look at me, wiping away my tears when the champ was knocked out and killed in the final scene of the movie. To this day, whenever anyone asks me what is my favorite movie of all time, I answer, “The Champ”. I think that answer may change after watching “Little Boy”. During the movie, “Little Boy”, I was transported to a different place. What was so unique and transcendental about this movie, I keep asking myself, besides the fact that everyone was crying during the movie?  What took you to a different place in this movie, wasn’t a great love story or a great drama. What left you speechless in this movie was the faith of an 8-year-old boy. You believed what the boy believed, you hoped what the boy hoped, you explored hope, faith, miracles and G-d through the eyes of an 8-year old boy. 

This movie was a journey of your own soul, and what faith means to you. And this movie took you back to your own youth when you were eight and how you believed that anything is possible. And through the journey of this movie, we were all that 8-year-old child, believing anything is possible. After the movie there was a question and answer session with one of the film’s stars, Michael Rapaport.  And my question to the actor was what would you tell a child is the message of the film.  Here’s what Michael Rapaport had to say (please click on video above).  Isn’t saving a life sometimes, just giving someone that belief anything is possible? This movie gave everyone in the theater that experience and that’s why there was not a dry eye in the theater.

3/2015

Can a Glass Slipper Save a Life? Bonnie Gertz was sent on assignment for Save1person to find out how fairy tales could save lives? Here’s what she had to say after covering another magical Moms event hosted by Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein, Oral B and Crest. .  Cinderella Glass Slipper by Arribas - Large - Personalizable

Cinderella, who couldn’t fall in love with this tale?  The characters are outstanding.  As most of us know, Cinderella’s mother before she died, told her that the most important thing is life is to be honest and kind. Which are words we all should live by. The tale that we all grew up knowing did not disappoint in this latest version for many reasons from the enchanting characters, to the love story, to the hope that love always prevails.  Regardless of all the beauty, the life lesson in this movie, to me, is in the end what’s most important is to be able to forgive.  Even though the evil stepmother was horrid to Cinderella, Cinderalla was still able to move on and not to hold onto any anger (which of course is what made her step family so ugly). Not only is this movie entertaining and well done, it also reminds us of what is important in life:  how to treat people, how to forgive and how to care for people. Crest and Oral B started the night off with the care of your mouth, how fittingly that we learn throughout the movie that words can build or words can destroy. Isn’t saving a life, making everyone feel he or she is the bell of the ball? Thanks Moms for another magical night.

 

The Moms had another great event, this time, it was the screening of a family film, Paddington.  There was a question and answer before the film with one of the stars, the stunning Nicole Kidman. 

 

nicole

Nicole Kidman

 #Norwegianmoms, #kidmanmoms @themoms @thepaddingtonmovie
 
It’s amazing how there are life saving messages where ever you look. This time we delve into what constitutes a family. The movie, Paddington is about a bear who loses his family in Peru and goes on an exploration for a new family in London.  This is certainly a film for the kiddies but the messages are for children and adults alike. What we learn in this film, is family really consists of people who you love, and who love you.  Family does not always entail being blood, or for that matter in this film, even the same species.  Sometimes saving a life, can simply be accepting the love which comes your way.  Who can’t learn from this life saving message?  Most of all before we shove love out the door, make sure it’s not the bonding piece that glues a family together… Save 1 Bear. Save The World.  

 

12/2014

Last week, I went to the most meaningful and fun events, hosted by the moms.com. They had an event almost every day last week, lunching with Brooke Shields, to a film premiere coved by Bonnie Gertz to having breakfast with Broadway star, singer and actress Kristen Chenoweth.  It was a fun filled week and every event was chock full of meaning, served with style in only the way themoms.com (Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein) can present.

 

 

 

The first event was with Brooke Shields.  Brooke Shields just came out with a book about her relationship with her mom, “There Was a Little Girl, The Real Story of My Mother and Me“. What was clear from the chat between Brooke and the Moms was the devotion, loyalty and love, Brooke had and has for her mom.  Brooke says her mom was an alcoholic, and was not always fully present because of her alcoholism.  According to Brooke there was a lot of ups and downs and the adoration Brooke has for her mom, in my opinion is a testament, of a love that transcends this world despite the flaws of all people. I couldn’t help but think, the lesson to learn here and how it relates to saving a life, is no one will fight for you, like your blood and noone is perfect in this game of life.

 

People are not perfect, at the end of the day, we love them anyway, and Brooke is a shining example of that testament. Although her mom may have been demonized in the press at times, she certainly helped mold Brooke in the beautiful caring woman she is today.  And the love between a mom and a daughter can be and is life – saving.

 

 

Thetheoryofeverything

 

The second event last week, from the Moms was covered by Save1person.com correspondent, Bonnie Gertz and here is what she had to say….

 

The Theory of Everything is a film I really enjoyed.  It shows the amazing will power of a human being.  Yes, it is a love story. This film will really make you look at yourself and ask yourself if you could stretch yourself and give of yourself so much in the name of love The actors were wonderful and the performances will touch your heart.  This is based on a true story, the story of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde. How does this story fit with Save1person.org?  Well Stephen Hawking has ALS or in simple terms Lou Gehrig’s disease, where at this point in time there is no cure.  He was given the diagnosis that he only had 2 years to live and that was in 1963.  Stephen married Jane Wilde and was married to her for 25 years and they produced 3 children, even while he had ALS and he was losing the ability of the use of his body.  Stephen is still alive in 2014.  Stephen has been surprising the medical community even today.  What is so intense about this disease is that your mind is fine but your body begins to deteriorate.  So you are aware of everything but unable to do anything about it or even communicate. At Save1person,org we want to get the word out to the world that amazing things can happen. We need more research for this disease and more devices can be developed to help people that have this disease.  I highly recommend this film and finding out more about ALS and what you can do to make a difference. Click here to make your difference today http://www.alsa.org/

 
 

 

 

The third event, hosted by Themoms.com was for a very talented and beautiful Kristin Chenoweth, singer, actress, Broadway star extrodanaire.  Kristin was promoting a new album that just “dropped” COMING HOME.   All the bloggers got her CD upon the completion of the chat with the Moms.  I listened to her CD while working and the music was so beautiful, deep and moving.  Hard to believe G-d gave one tiny person such power in her vocal chords.  How does this relate to Save1person.org, I’m not sure it does, and sometimes we just have to stop and notice all the beauty around us. Rabbi Simon Jacobson says everyone has a musical note in the grand symphony of life.  Without a doubt, Kristen was given many beautiful notes in this grand symphony. At Save1person.org quite often horrific situations, come across the desk, and it’s important in life, never to  stop to notice the beauty that’s in this world.  Physical beauty is always fleeting, and beauty  from the soul is never ending. If a voice could save a life – Kristen would  have that one hands down.

 

 

 

Then the most recent, life lesson  learned via Themoms.com was a screening of the movie All Relative, starring Connie Nielsen.  The premise is funny and entertaining but the meaning behind this movie is not.  The movie is about an older woman who has a brief fling with a much younger man, who she later learns is her daughter’s boyfriend.  In a very comical and entertaining way, you see the flaws of most of the characters, what brings them to make their hurtful mistakes, and how they work past their hurts and disappointments. What we learn through the course of this movie is sometimes when we feel stuck in life, and we can’t move forward with our loved ones, that’s when the life saving break throughs are on the way.  If handled delicately relationshipcs can be built stronger than before.  Saving a life, can sometimes mean being open, honest and vulnerable with the people we love most and what can be more life saving that that?

 

These events above may not save a life directly, and, if we look closely at the world around us we may open our eyes to ways that can save others in small and big ways alike that make a world of difference.