President-in-a matter-of-hours Barack Obama declared that he would love to see Martin Luther King Day become a day of service.  I can’t imagine a better way for the entire country to spend a free Monday. 

My youngest daughter and I participated by picking up trash around Old Town Manassas.  The event was sponsored by my church, and posted on the USA Service website.  We had over 40 volunteers, many of them youth, from many reaches of the metropolitan area.  We even had two different groups who had traveled from California to attend the inauguration, and found the event online and pitched in to help.  Fluorescent vests on, with pickers and bags in hand, we worked for two hours under the threat of a snow storm.  Afterward, we shared stories of oddest items found, heard a silly song make up by a group of who declared themselves the “Singing Samaritans”, and ate pizza and subs.  We were all proud of the 300 pounds we picked up, but distressed at the same time that so much litter can be found within a few blocks. 

So for those of you are reading this and are thinking, who cares?  What does this have to do with Design Strategies?  Let me make this connection:  Your home should relax, rejuvenate and inspire you.  Creating your haven is of vital importance, but it is my deepest wish that one of the ways you are inspired is to reach out beyond your door, and help create a little bit of Better, right here and right now.