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WASHINGTON D.C. (February 27, 2008) - The simple request for a
"mom hug" from a young Marine serving in Iraq ignited one mom's
desire to inspire all servicemembers.
Gail Lynne Goodwin launched "Inspire Me Today," a Web site
devoted to inspirational content, just 12 days ago, but the idea
had been simmering for years.
"Inspire Me Today was something I've wanted to do. It's been my
personal passion, I guess you would say," Goodwin said. "When a
person is inspired, the world changes exponentially."
As any good mom might do, however, Goodwin put her dream of
launching the Web site on hold to help her daughter, Carly, launch
a country music career.
"I took off for about three years from doing my projects … and
managed and directed my daughter's career … and traveled with her
all over," Goodwin said.
But it was really her venture with her daughter's singing career
that provided Goodwin with the nudge she needed to follow her dream
of starting Inspire Me Today.
Carly ventured out on a 29-day tour of military installations in
the Persian Gulf in late 2005. At a base in western Iraq, Goodwin
met Jesse, the 19-year-old Marine in need of a "mom hug."
He'd been in country for about nine months when he met Goodwin,
and his request for a simple hug moved her, but it was his
apologetic explanation for his appearance that stayed with her.
"He explained to me that he was one of 800 guys that … come in
for two to three days at most and then they go back out to their
ditch, their post, where he guards his stretch of desert," Goodwin
said. "He's out for between 30 and 40 days at a time."
When she inquired how he survived the duty, he simply showed her
his MP3 player.
"I'm thinking to myself, 'If ever there was a need for
inspiration, if ever there was a place not to be alone, it's right
here, right now," Goodwin said. "I came back after Carly's tour
(and) … at that point I started with Inspire Me Today."
Having always been taught to give before receiving, Goodwin and
Inspire Me Today's board of directors began the process of deciding
which group was the most deserving of free memberships to the
organization's Web site.
"I slept on it that night and woke up about 2 o'clock in the
morning going, 'Duh! If it's not our U.S. troops, I don't know who
it would be,'" Goodwin said. "What came to me is the thought of
(Jesse) coming in … and being able to go in and download countless
days of inspirational material so that when he goes back out to
that ditch he's not alone anymore."
So, beginning March 15, anyone with a ".mil" e-mail address can
register for a year's free membership to Inspire Me Today's Web
site. Though content is currently available, daily content updates
will begin March 15, Goodwin said.
Memberships allow servicemembers to download inspirational
quotes, videos, speeches and other material for later enjoyment.
The content, which may come from household names or unknown
contributors, will cover a wide variety of topics from health and
fitness to finances and relationships.
What it won't dwell upon is religion, Goodwin said. The
organization is inspiration-based and will vet all contributions to
ensure no one is saying, "If you don't fit in this box, you're
going to burn," she said. "You can't do that (and be
inspirational).
"Each day we have a choice to go out into the world and be a
light or not," she added. "I'm looking at us as going around
lighting little candles all over. Those people, in turn, can light
more candles until the whole world ends up being a much happier,
better place."
Anyone can visit the site to view daily content at no charge.
For those without a ".mil" e-mail address, or after a
servicemember's initial year, there is a charge to access the
archives and download content.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals,
groups and organizations that are helping support the troops,
visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America
Supports You directly connects military members to the support of
the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their
quest to find meaningful ways to support the military
community.
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