Give us this day our daily blog

It's almost like a prayer, as each morning I put my fingers to the keyboard and tell another story here about making a difference.  Some of my posts are about local heroes and sometimes they are about famous people.  I write with suggestions and ideas about what all of us can do to make the world better.  I don't write about me - I write about US.  We together really can do some pretty wonderful things.  We all can change things for the better and truly make a difference.  That's what I write about.

 

Day after day and year after year I write something here, and I am grateful to each of you who read this.  Tell your friends.  Post your comments.  Give us ideas.  You can really make a difference and if you take something from here and do something great with it, how wonderful!  Let us know about it.

 

I have no idea how many different people read this, but I am happy that you can here today.  You can become a regular follower and never miss a post.  I'll keep on blogging and I hope you keep on reading!

Always hunger somewhere

Too much to eat? Restaurant portions are often much larger than they need to be and as a result we sometimes leave a lot on our plates. Think about asking for a bag for those leftovers and giving them to the first homeless person you encounter. It’s a simple act. It didn’t cost you anything extra. It can really help ease the hunger being experienced by someone else.

 

This is just one of the many things we can do every single day to give back and help others. Another possibility is ordering two sandwiches when you place your lunch take-out order. One is for you of course, and the other you simply hand to someone in need that you come across on your way back to work. Yes, this one cost a little, but if you can afford it, it will surely be appreciated!

 

At the end of the year, there were food donation barrels all over the place and organizations were doing special holiday lunches or dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What about the rest of the year though?  Except for the weekly soup kitchens and meal programs that exist in major cities, we don’t see this outreach, yet the need still exists. People are hungry every single day of the year. Let’s keep that spirit alive that is so evident during the holidays and do what we can to ease hunger. Simple steps like those above are a place to start and we can also look for year-round food pantries and meal programs to donate to.

 

If the need is great where you live and it looks like nothing is happening, perhaps you could be the one to start a program!  If you are barely getting by and really cannot afford any extra expense, perhaps you can volunteer for a food program.  That is certainly helpful too!

Calling all heroes

Here in this space I write about all kinds of heroes.  Some are enduring heroes and some only for a moment for one action they did.  There is also a lot of disagreement about who is a hero.  I have written here that Colin Kaepernick is a hero, but I got a number of responses disagreeing with me.  Can singers and dancers be heroes?  What about an actor?  How about politicians?  Perhaps your big brother is your hero.

Who do YOU call a hero?  What is it that makes them a hero?  Is it one thing or many things that they do?  Did they perform some incredible act? Do we need heroes in our lives these days?  What do YOU think?  Let us hear from you in the comments section below.  Is there someone who is a hero to you?

Maybe there is a better word for it.  I'd like to know about that too.

Never again - NEVER!

Today is International Holocaust Memorial Day, we honor and remember the six million Jewish Holocaust victims and survivors, and the millions of other victims of Nazism . We listen and learn so we may educate future generations, and we say never again to ensure atrocities of the past – including all acts of genocide – are never repeated.

"Never again," we say, and yet we let horrible hateful things happen still to this day.  I don't mean for one moment to minimize the Holocaust by talking about modern day hate crimes.  My point is that we get angry and say we are going to do something, but then don't.  The best way to honor the victims of the horrible systematic, government-sponsored persecution and murder of human beings, is to remember them and to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.

Were there any warning signs of what was to come before the start of mass killing in 1941? Indeed there were. The biggest warning both then and now, was the abundance of hate. The killings did not come first. It began with hate. It started with denial of basic human rights. It began with attacks on truth and on the rule of law.  What about now?  Do you see any hate in the world?  In our country?  In your community?  Now in 2024, I am saddened by the many examples of hate all around the world.

Take some time today to really remember the horror that was the Holocaust.  Think of the victims.  Light a candle.  Above all, work to stop the hate.  When we say never again, we have to make it so!

Are you rich?

It's amazing to me how so many people measure wealth. Do you own your house? How many cars to you have? What about jewelry? Stocks? Money? Do you consider yourself rich?

Okay, that might be an odd question to ask, but I want you to think about it for a moment.  Are material things important to you? Are you waiting for that big break? Do you dream of marrying a wealthy spouse? Are thoughts of a huge inheritance frequently in your thoughts?

I wanted you to think about this for a moment because if material wealth is always on your mind, perhaps its time to rethink.  Maybe you already are rich, but just in another way.  The everyday heroes we talk about here, are heroes because the put more importance on the everyday.  Perhaps rich is really a state of mind. Take a closer look at the blessings already in your life, and you will discover riches of a more important kind.

At lunch today

At lunch today, see what you can do to brighten someone else's day.  It might seem odd for me to zoom in on lunchtime, but we should start somewhere, right?

 

Do you eat at home alone?  Consider inviting someone over to join you at mealtime.  Another alternative to that would be to go out somewhere, but still invite a friend.  You don't necessarily need to volunteer to pick up the check.  Just giving someone company can brighten their day - and yours!

 

If you normally go for take-out, think about buying an extra meal (a simple sandwich for example) and then handing it to a homeless person on the street.  Standing in line at a fast-food place?  Pay for the person behind you too.  (Since you don't know what they are ordering, approximate the cost or just casually ask them).

 

Having lunch at work without going out can be a bigger challenge.  If a coworker approaches the microwave at the same moment you do, insist that they use it first.  If you have fresh fruit, cookies, crackers, or anything easily shared, offer some to a coworker.

 

These are just a few examples.  I'm sure if you think about it you can come up with many more ways to brighten people's day at lunchtime.

Concerned about feelings on Valentine's Day

There still is a little time before Valentine's Day comes. (It's the 14th of next month). I wanted to repeat something though and do it ahead of time to hopefully reach some of your thoughts. I've written about this before, but I really think it can stand to be repeated. I'm talking about the "exclusive" nature of Valentine's Day.

In school, kids often bring in Valentine cards to exchange with other kids in their class and sometimes with other classes as well. It all ends up being a big popularity contest though. The new kid who isn't known yet, or the students who aren't as popular might not get any cards at all. Instead, they would have hurt feelings and would go home crying at the end of the day. People end up dreading coming to school that day.

 

The same kind of thing can happen in the workplace.  Some employees exchange cards.  Flowers arrive from husbands and boyfriends.  Sometimes there are chocolates or balloons or teddy bears.  It lifts the spirits of the recipient, but who about the one sitting there who gets nothing? 

I'm not saying we have to supply cards and gifts for the whole world, but perhaps there are a few things we can do to be more considerate of those other people.  For example, some schools have a policy that if you bring Valentine cards in to exchange, there must be one for everyone. The same thing is true with things like cupcakes or cookies.  Another possibility is to be more discrete.   This works in the workplace a lot better though than with kids in a classroom.

 

What are your thoughts about this?  Is it fair though to tell a child who he or she must give to? Should the school get involved? Do employers need to monitor such things? Do we need to care about the feelings of others?  What do YOU think?

MLK Day

Today is the day we remember the great leader, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and all the lessons he taught us. Born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, GA Dr King would be 95 today, had he not been shot and killed back in 1968. Just four days after his death, Representative John Conyers introduced a motion to make King’s birthday a federal holiday, but it wasn’t until 1979 that the House of Representatives voted on the motion. It failed to pass by five votes.

In 1983, Congressmen Jack Kemp, Newt Gingrich, Jim Wright and Tip O’Neill gave speeches in support of the holiday, and it passed in the House by 53 votes. Senator Jesse Helms adamantly opposed the bill and accused King of being a communist.   It passed in the Senate anyway, but by just twelve votes.  The bill made its way to President Ronald Reagan’s desk and he signed it into law in November 1983.

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first celebrated in 1986, although it would be over a decade before all fifty states adopted the holiday. In the years since its adoption into law, the holiday has been marked every third Monday of January. In many parts of the country, it isn't just a day off from work or school, but a day to give back and make a difference. There are marches and rallies and speeches. 

How will YOU observe this day? What are your plans to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.? MLK Day has always been about service and this year shouldn't be any different.  Your participation does make a difference.

COLD!!!

It's cold out there!  Some places are much colder than where I am.  Some places are also covered with snow and ice.  We still are in the early stages of winter. Oh my!

 

If you are in any effected areas, stay safe.  Help others too.  Stay in touch with friends and relatives and make sure nobody is stuck outdoors.  This is true for animals of all sizes too!  Some people have pets that stay outside all of the time.  There are also farm animals that generally stay outdoors of course too.  Think about these animals.  Is your barn heated?  Does your horse have a blanket?  The dog can go outside briefly for his potty break, but inside he must come right afterward.  If it's cold to you, it's cold to your animals too!  Be aware.

 

For those doubters, look at the facts.  See those temperatures and wind chills that are being reported on.  Can you remember this happening before?  Well, many are breaking records - BIG records.  This is serious folks.  We need to protect ourselves and our animals, as I said, and we also need to finally start taking climate change seriously.  We need to act before it is too late!  Take a few moments to talk to some of your friends, co-workers, and family members.  Take some time too and contact elected officials.  Tell them they must address this issue NOW!

Just a cashier

If someone says "she is just a cashier," that's insulting.  (I used to hear "just a secretary" a lot, but the term "assistant" now usually takes the place of secretary).  Every single honest endeavor is important and there is no "just" about it.  Some folks try to make themselves more important but putting others down, but that is just plain wrong.

Lately I have noticed the cashiers in supermarkets and drugstores becoming the victims of this sort of bashing.  It doesn't stop there either.  Often customers treat these service employees so badly that you would think manners had been thrown out the window.

Consider this:  the cashier generally counts your change into your hand, but how many of you hand that cash payment directly to him or her?  All too often the money is just tossed on the counter often with many coins included.  The transaction would be so much faster (and more courtesy would be shown toward the cashier) it that same money had been placed in the cashier's hand.

If the cashier smiles at you and says hello, don't assume they have some hidden motive.  Perhaps they are just being polite.  Oh and when the cashier asks if you want a bag, it is because we are trying to save the earth and not use bags as much as we did.  Instead of immediately placing every purchase in a bag, it is hoped that many customers will bring their own reusable bag or will simply carry their purchase in their hands.

Cashiers are people doing a job.  Treat them in the same manner you would like them to treat you.

Daddy may I borrow $25

Those heartwarming stories that circulate on the internet can be quite inspiring.  From time to time I have shared some of them here, although I always wish I could give credit to the writer.  Here is another author unknown tale:

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON: ‘Daddy, may I ask you a question?’
DAD: ‘Yeah sure, what it is?’ replied the man.
SON: ‘Daddy, how much do you make an hour?’
DAD: ‘That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?’ the man said angrily.
SON: ‘I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?’
DAD: ‘If you must know, I make $50 an hour.’
SON: ‘Oh,’ the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: ‘Daddy, may I please borrow $25?’

The father was furious, ‘If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish.  I don’t work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.’  The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think:  Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25 and he really didn’t ask for money very often.  The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.

‘Are you asleep, son?’ He asked.

‘No daddy, I’m awake,’ replied the boy.

‘I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,’ said the man. ‘It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.  Here’s the $25 you asked for.’

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. ‘Oh, thank you daddy!’ he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.  The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.  The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

‘Why do you want more money if you already have some?’ the father grumbled.

‘Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,’ the little boy replied.  ‘Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?  Please come home early tomorrow.  I would like to have dinner with you.’

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

Let us learn from this story and one of the lessons should be the importance of our children, of all our family and our friends!

what a beauty

What a great beauty this land of ours is.  What a great beauty is our life.  What a great beauty we are surrounded by each and every day of our lives.  Look at the trees and the flowers.  Breathe in the fresh air.  Listen to the birds and the crickets and the little children giggling.  Take a moment to appreciate the beauty.

 

Doesn't look beautiful to you?  Look again.  If you live in the big city you may have forgotten that beauty comes in many forms.  If you are in a great hurry ever day you just might miss some of the beauty in our world.  Slow down.  Take the time.  If you become jaded or choose to not open your eyes and your ears, you just might miss out.  There really is so much to see.

 

What a beauty we have all around us though!  Don't take my word for it though.  Open your eyes and take a look!

For him it makes a difference

Another one of those "internet parables" came my way the other day, and although you may have heard it, this one again is worth sharing. Like others I have shared here in the past, I have no idea who the author is.
 

It seems an old man was going for a walk one day when he noticed a little boy feeding a thin, shaggy looking dog with bits of bread. He went up to the boy and asked him why he was sharing his bread with the dog.

The little boy answered, "Because he has nothing. No home, no family, and if I don’t feed him he will die."

"But there are homeless dogs everywhere," the old man replied. "Your efforts don’t really make a difference."

The little boy looked at the dog and stroked him. "For him, for this little dog, it makes all the difference in the world."

I wish I knew who wrote this because they get it so amazingly right. Did you ever hold back from donating money or food or anything else because you could only spare a small amount and thought it wouldn't make a difference? If we all fed those homeless dogs - if we all fed those homeless people, it would make such a difference. I'm thinking we just might wipe out homelessness!