Introduction to my take on Happy Hour!

Dearest Friends & Family,

I need your valuable ideas! Don’t worry, it won't cost you a penny, unless "your time is money!" All you need to do is read and share this blog! Not to be confused with the self-obsessed Me, Myself & I...that needs to be edited or deleted; a task that I'm not ready to tackle yet!

After a trip to England, Wales and Italy two years ago, I (reluctantly!) came home with fresh new ideas to fuel my love of writing. I was thrilled to meet such inspirational people on my travels, and wanted to keep that connection alive by finding a way to share positive stories or ideas with them.

Not long after my trip to Europe, I forgot about this mission when we suffered the unexpected and tragic loss of Hamzah's father. The term, "single parent" took on a whole new meaning, and two months later, I was working for the first time in a professional setting, commuting almost an hour each way. It was a wonderful experience, and I'm proud of my contributions, but after a year, I found the commute too expensive and taxing and needed to find something closer; preferably downtown, where I'm renting and living alone for the first time!  The search for work continues, but in the meantime, I’d like to make good use of my “downtime!”

On April 4th, 2012, I had the honor of meeting Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, known for helping the poor around the world by offering small loans through Grameen Bank (micro-finance). After his lecture, my friends and I had the pleasure of speaking with him. When he said, "Yes! You can do it, start something," while he was holding onto my arm, I literally felt his positive energy, and knew it was time to do SOMETHING!

This isn't a money-making venture or a fame-seeking adventure. This is what Mr. Yunus would call a type of social business. However, instead of offering goods or services that people buy and sell at a cost, I'm simply offering...Good News! FOR FREE!

It's called, "Happy Hour" just to throw people off!

I know you're probably wondering, ‘How is that going to help the world, Raboh?’ Well, think about it for a moment. When you hear about a country or neighborhood – mostly plagued and bombarded by negativity – and learn that someone/something affected it in a positive way, how do you feel?

Good? Hopeful? Inspired? Does it make you smile?

I know for instance, when the clients we serve at Dress for Success become employed and economically independent, we are uplifted and inspired to help more women in need.  After hearing how Dr. Yunus helped villagers in Bangladesh with only the $27.00 in his pocket, I knew I could easily use my writing to spread the good news of people and organizations who inspire me.

I also see the need for my own transformation, both spiritually and emotionally! Don’t worry, I'm not going to turn in a bowl of sunshine overnight, but I want to turn my attention and focus on admirable people/stories - without ignoring the horrible events that plague the world. I understand the need for balance in journalism, yet also realize the need for tipping the scale on the side of good media outlets! We have enough people spreading corruption and negativity, (like fox news!).

Some of you have travelled the world, and have seen and reported on the sadness and depravity of the people around you, their stories also need to be told. However, I challenge you to look for that ray of hope and peace amidst the loss of life and endless piles of rubble. It’s out there, we just have to dig a little deeper to search for it! Maybe we can bring attention to both the good and bad at the same time. I've seen pictures of children living in war-torn countries with big smiles on their faces, and I've often wondered what they could possibly be smiling about. Those images evoke many questions and emotions that I would like to explore.

If we get involved with challenging the norm of negative media attention, we may be able to see a shift...hopefully within ourselves...as Gandhi famously said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world."

Thank you for taking the time to read this/skim this! Please let me know what you think, even if you think I'm full of crap!

All ideas and thoughts are welcome...just don't be surprised if you find yourself de-friended on facebook!

Here's the link: http://goodnewshappyhour.blogspot.com
I’m still formatting and editing the page. Any feedback on the blog layout etc. is also welcome, but not mandatory!

Love Always,

Rabiya
xxx

Rabiya B. Khan
B.S. Communications/Journalism