Trust and Tattoos

I’m going to tell you three stories. And then I promise I’ll tell you why I’m telling you these stories. 

Story #1

One morning last week, I was walking my dog, Roger, like I always do. I turned onto a street near my house when a car suddenly stopped next to us, and the driver opened her door.

"Is that Roger?!" she asked.

"It is!" I replied, finally recognizing her. I see this woman from time to time, pushing her elderly mother in a wheelchair. They always stop to pet Roger, and her mother always gives him a treat.

The woman got out, gave Roger a few pats, and then turned to me. "My mom would love so much to see Roger," she said. "She lives in the yellow house up the street. Just open the door and take him inside." Then she got back in her car and drove away.

My first reaction? Um…what?

It felt strange to walk up to someone’s house, turn the doorknob, and step inside without an invitation. But I did it anyway. Once inside, I spotted the elderly woman sitting in her chair. She recognized Roger immediately and lit up as she petted him. Her cat, on the other hand, was not thrilled, so our visit was short-lived.

Story #2

Also last week, I had the house to myself for a couple of days while the rest of my family was out of town. I had grand plans for my Thursday night: comfy couch, a good movie, and fully embracing the quiet.

But my body had other plans. I was in bed and asleep by 8pm. When I woke up the next morning, I realized I had slept over 10 hours. And it felt amazing.

I was so proud of myself for listening to what I needed, instead of pushing through just because I thought I should.

Story #3

I ran another marathon on Sunday. Around mile 18, a man in his 60s – wearing no shirt, bright blue (short) shorts, and a large silver necklace – passed me.

As he did, I caught a glimpse of the tattoo covering his back: I JUST PASSED YOU.

For the next two miles, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I saw. I mean…wow. You got that tattooed? It was exactly the distraction I needed.

*****

At first glance, these stories don’t have much in common other than they keep playing in my mind. But the more I think about them, the more I realize they share a theme: reminding me to listen to what life tells me in the moment.

Sometimes, it’s about trusting an unexpected invitation, even if it feels a little weird. Sometimes, it’s about honoring what your body needs instead of pushing through. And sometimes, it’s about embracing the absurdity of a situation and letting it carry you forward.

Life is always dropping little messages in front of us. We just have to be paying attention.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

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💻UPCOMING WEBINAR: COMMUNITY-CENTERED VOLUNTEERISM

Points of Light is hosting a Volunteering & Social Impact Live Learning Series leading up to its annual June conference – and you don’t want to miss this next event. Breauna Dorelus, Founder and Cause Consultant at Connecting the Cause, will be speaking about understanding community-centered volunteerism. She’ll talk about how certain volunteer strategies can unintentionally perpetuate harm and how volunteer and CSR leaders can instead center the community’s voice when planning and shaping volunteer engagement. This webinar is happening Tuesday, March 11 from 10-11am PT / 1-2pm ET and you can register here. (I’ll be there!)

💡FOR NONPROFITS AND FOUNDATIONS: KEY TRENDS TO WATCH

We’re all watching…a lot of things in 2025. But for nonprofits and foundations, here are some trends to watch this year, as compiled by the amazing Trista Harris, a philanthropic futurist and President of FutureGood.

It’s a three-minute read, that’s it. And it’s great food for thought.

📖YOU’VE GOTTA READ THIS BOOK

I am 1000% recommending “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park. It’s a historical novel based on the true story of Salva Dut, one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan. The book weaves together two narratives: Salva’s story of his journey across Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the U.S., and Nya’s story of accessing clean water.

My 6th grade son recently read this book with his class. I read the book after hearing about it from him and ohmygosh, it’s unreal and it’s powerful.

💘NONPROFIT LOVE

No doubt you’re aware of the devastating pause in January on all U.S. foreign assistance programs. On Wednesday, the Trump administration canceled 92% of all outstanding USAID grants, including vital programs like PEPFAR. USAID has just been gutted; we’re already seeing communities around the world suffer the dire consequences.

That’s why my nonprofit love today is going to Trickle Up, an organization that partners with women in extreme poverty to build economic opportunity and drive inclusion. Trickle Up’s framework is built around four main pillars: economic empowerment, financial resilience, social inclusion and agency, underpinned by coaching. 

As we’re watching foreign aid and humanitarian assistance evaporate around the world, organizations like Trickle Up are more important than ever. It’s literally a community effort now. 

Want to learn more about extreme poverty and Trickle Up? Want to get your company involved or read inspiring stories from the field? Visit Trickle Up’s website here.