• I wasn't going to write a Steve Jobs post. I always find it confusing to mourn for people I know only through their fame and success. How sad can one be when remembering a nonexistent relationship? But then I watched Brian Williams' episode on Steve Jobs and I cried. I cried because I'm sad and emotional, and I love and believe anything Brian Williams says. But I also cried for our loss. Whether you know him personally or not, or you're a fan of technology or not, you can't ignore the massive impact this one man has made on not only the lives of Americans, but the lives of people all over the world. His voice sparks inspiration, that of a humble man with big dreams. His advice? To live the life of your dreams. To not be afraid of dying, but to be afraid of not having lived. To live the life you want to live, regardless of others' opinions. And so, in that one half hour of watching Brian Williams, I have been moved to mourn the loss of a man I never met, and consequently head for the life of my dreams.

Passion is something that shouldn't be ignored. Steve Jobs loved his life, but most importantly, he loved his job. How many people do you know that can say that? My passion, however broad it may be at the moment, is to make a difference. It's to think bigger than myself and my relatively small life, and spend my time helping others. So today I present you with one of my passions, and I urge you find a passion of your own, and to live your life as fully as you can.

Invest in girls. The statistics are staggering:

*When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children.

*Research in developing countries has shown a consistent relationship between better infant and child health and higher levels of schooling among mothers.

*When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.

The list goes on. I urge you to check out their website and watch more of their videos for any information you can learn about The Girl Effect. This is a serious situation.

As an American, it's hard to understand these statistics. It's hard to recognize that while I bitch about wasting my money on Starbucks multiple times a week, or how I don't have a lot of money left after I pay rent each month, I keep nothing in perspective. Starbucks is a luxury. My rent allows me to live in an amazing town right outside of Boston where I have every essential need and more. I have no idea how to find my next job but I did have the luxury of going to a private University for both my undergraduate and graduate degree. We are the lucky ones, no matter how we feel about it during our biggest moments of frustration and aggravation. While thousands around the country are protesting their 99%, there are millions in the developing world starving to death. Girls are getting married off at the age of twelve. An estimated 2.5 million are trafficked into forced labor (including sexual exploitation.) This is the world that we all live in. I think it's time we start actively living in the world around us and recognizing the injustices. Maybe you can donate only a few dollars, don't forget that every little bit helps. Maybe you can tell everyone you know about The Girl Effect, because being an ambassador doesn't only hold monetary value. Spend a few minutes of your time thinking about the millions of girls who have the capability to shape the future of our entire world, if only we let them. This is bigger than you or me. This is an idea, an investment, that can change the lives of some of the 600 million+ girls living in the developing world today.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. – Anne Frank

This post is a part of the 2011 Girl Effect Blogging Campaign. If you have your own blog, I urge you to spread the world to those you know and love. This movement is only beginning, and we can do some really great things here.