Closing Thoughts
Darian Rodriguez Heyman
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it what I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have gotten hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before passing it on to future generations.”
—George Bernard Shaw
One of my best friends, Chris Portella, once shared something that will always stay with me: “When you’re in the zone, you never stop.” We may have been talking about snowboarding at the time, but I’ve found the insight equally relevant professionally.
We all wonder why we’re here at times and question our calling in this world. My hope for you is that you discover that intention and purpose, and that it involves fundraising for causes worthy of your support. And once you discover this, may you unlock even more passion for your work and follow the lead of many of our contributors, devoting your career to connecting donors and funders to nonprofits that stir your passions.
Che Guevara once shared: “A true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.” As professionals and leaders focused on social change, we are all revolutionaries. But as you read in the Foreword and Afterword, the most effective fundraisers are those whose actions and work come from a place of love ...
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