"Don't make a living, make a life..."

Winston Churchill reportedly once said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."  While I am not completely sure what Churchill had in mind when he said this, I do think that the giving is all about service to others.  Similarly, the Greek philosopher Aristotle asked a rhetorical question and then promptly answered it: "What is the essence of life?  To serve others and to do good."


Today, the Continuing Medical Education department at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center spent the morning at the Freestore Foodbank.  The Freestore Foodbank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to "provide food and services, create stability and further self-reliance for people in crisis."  It is the largest emergency food and services provider in the Tri-State area (a 20 county area surrounding the city of Cincinnati in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana).  The organization purchases and collects donations of food from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and government agencies before then distributing it to approximately 250 local community partners.  There are likely similar organizations in almost every city in America - in fact, Freestore Foodbank is a member of a larger organization called Feeding America. 


We had a great time this morning volunteering for a great cause, and I think the team enjoyed the opportunity to work together and do something fun outside of work.  Volunteering for a worthy cause is a great way to build team camaraderie.  I wonder how much money various corporate teams spend every year hiring any of a number of outside consultants or groups that have become part of a growing cottage industry of "team building" experts.  It seems to me that the time (and money) could be better spent volunteering together for a worthy cause, such as Freestore Foodbank.


During this holiday season, I encourage all of you to spend a morning or afternoon with your teams, volunteering for a charitable organization.  I guarantee that these organizations need your help - and I am 100% confident that the time will be well spent.  Imagine how much better our world would be today, if teams just gave even a few hours every quarter serving others.  In other words, don't make a living.  Make a life.