What We Can Do

Need help? Asked for it yet? Heard someone ask for help? Did you respond yet?

America is richly endowed. Even in its earliest history it was blessed with riches galore. Over time those were found and used to build yet more riches. Invention was one of our riches. We saw a need and filled it with a solution. Not always fancy solutions, but a solution just the same.

Same today. Unemployed? Jobs are available. Finding a match with your talents and interests is the larger chore in finding a job. Bad matches make work work; good matches erase the stigma of work. It becomes a pleasure and those so blessed are motivated to go to work to get things done rather than for a paycheck.

People in need describes most of us at one time or another in our lives. Thankfully such periods are few and short lived; others are not so blessed. They often suffer long and hard to overcome deeply rooted problems for them and their families.

That’s why there are charities and government programs to help them. When some of us suffer long our society and culture suffers as well. In fact, it holds all of us back. It is in our interest to help out and make good things happen.

Public discussion of this topic is not always positive. There are those among us who resent poor people or handicapped persons as burdens. Most of us see those who suffer as blessings among us. We see in them the promise of our own lives and good fortune. It should make us glad and generous to help those in need.

For those who think government has no business taking care of people, I feel sorry for them. If we live in a culture that does not care for each other, then we are part of a cruel and selfish society that suffers from poverty of the soul.

Luckily there are many in our country who are called to serve many worthy causes. Here is a partial list of the things we can and should be doing:

·         Feed the hungry

·         Clothe the naked

·         Heal the sick

·         House the homeless

·         Teach the unknowing

·         Coach the neophyte

·         Boost the struggling

·         Employ the jobless

·         Create new businesses

·         Beautify our neighborhoods

·         Be kind to one another

·         Support the arts

·         Be a part of the arts

·         Educate all generations to support the culture and wellbeing of all

·         Be thankful for our blessings

·         Share what we have in mind, spirit and goods with others who have not

This is not a complete list but you get the gist. We have riches to share with others and that act alone and in concert with others builds a strong and vibrant society.

Are we doing these things? Are you a part of the ‘we’? or are you one who says no to the pleas?

Not all can give money. But all of us can share non-monetary wealth: talents, presence, art, spirit, soul and love. Last time I looked, we have plenty of these to share.

Invent a solution to a problem. Give of yourself and see the good it accomplishes. Be a part of the solution and not a part of a problem. The rewards are bountiful.

October 25, 2017