Get involved

You have probably already heard some form of this, (it is a story that has been told and retold over and over) but it bears repeating:

“This is a story about four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.”

I'm sure you get the picture. The story is telling us to get involved!  That certainly is good advice!

Sage Advice

Did you ever have a teacher or a friend or perhaps one of your parents or other relative, give you some really great advice? Have you ever given advice to someone else? The wisdom of others is enough for any of us to set goals and to do good.

I think of all my teachers, there was nobody like Lou Ella Gridley.  She didn't give me a specific piece of advice, but her whole manner was certainly inspiring.  Her fifth-grade classroom was a special place and I think Miss Gridley was everyone's favorite teacher, but this is not only about her - it's about being good at what you do.

(A side note - Miss Gridley wrote some books about the area where I grew up.  Folklore of Chenango County and Few Are Left To Know are two of them, and they're both very interesting).

 

I came across this sage advice just the other day:  Whatever you are, be a good one.  Simple and straight to the point, this is something we all can live by.  It reminds me in a way of the United States Army slogan "Be all you can be."

 

This is something we can easily urge others to follow.  Once again, "Whatever you are, be a good one!"

Start giving early

Is generosity something that is taught or does it just come naturally?  I'm no scientist, but the innocence and unspoiled nature of children tells me that they are  just as likely to do good as anyone.  If we teach them of the many benefits, it certainly can help them along the way.  (Sadly children also see so much bad around and can certainly pick up those habits too).

 

Involve your child in your own giving and tell they why it is you give.  If you normally place cash in a church offering plate for example, you might explain the practice to your children and then let them do it too.

 

There are so many ways to give, but think of some that involve children or that would be fun for children to do and then get your own kids involved with you.  You can go on a trash walk and clean up a local park for example or plant a tree. Do a yard sale, and give the proceeds to a local charity. Put together a birthday bag for a child living in a shelter. Volunteer or donate to a local food bank.  Read to children at your local library.  Be a big brother or a big sister. Share information about your favorite charity.

 

Start giving early?  I think it's a great idea!

How to live life

How to live life?  No, I don't have all the answers - that's for certain! Each day I do write here a little bit about living live though.  I talk about making a difference in the world, and there are so very many ways to do that.  Some folks go through life with great joy and for all too many, it is just the opposite.

One of humanity's greatest minds, Albert Einstein, once said "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." You don't have to be an Einstein to know that's the truth!

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."  That is another saying of Einstein.  This time he seems to be urging us to get involved. 

May we all keep trying new things and living our lives as is everything along the way is a miracle!

hope

Hope is something that we ALL need. I was thinking about that this morning after hearing on the news that someone had "run out of hope." Saint Paul wrote “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I like that these three are linked together. We need to have faith that there is enough love in our world that we will always have hope.

In An Essay on Man, Alexander Pope wrote "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Indeed.

In the lgbt community, there is often a lack of hope.  That was what Harvey Milk was talking about in his famous "hope" speech from 1978. Here is a portion of that speech:

"The first gay people we elect must be strong. They must not be content to sit in the back of the bus. They must not be content to accept pablum. They must be above wheeling and dealing. They must be -for the good of all of us - independent, unbought. The anger and the frustrations that some of us feel is because we are misunderstood, and friends can't feel the anger and frustration. They can sense it in us, but they can't feel it. Because a friend has never gone through what is known as coming out. I will never forget what it was like coming out and having nobody to look up toward. I remember the lack of hope - and our friends can't fulfill it.

"I can't forget the looks on faces of people who've lost hope. Be they gay, be they seniors, be they blacks looking for an almost-impossible job, be they Latins trying to explain their problems and aspirations in a tongue that's foreign to them. I personally will never forget that people are more important than buildings. I use the word 'I' because I'm proud. I stand here tonight in front of my gay sisters, brothers and friends because I'm proud of you. I think it's time that we have many legislators who are gay and proud of that fact and do not have to remain in the closet. I think that a gay person, up-front, will not walk away from a responsibility and be afraid of being tossed out of office. After Dade County, I walked among the angry and the frustrated night after night and I looked at their faces. And in San Francisco, three days before Gay Pride Day, a person was killed just because he was gay. And that night, I walked among the sad and the frustrated at City Hall in San Francisco and later that night as they lit candles on Castro Street and stood in silence, reaching out for some symbolic thing that would give them hope. These were strong people, whose faces I knew from the shop, the streets, meetings and people who I never saw before but I knew. They were strong, but even they needed hope.

"And the young gay people in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias and the Richmond, Minnesotas who are coming out and hear Anita Bryant on television and her story. The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up. And if you help elect to the central committee and other offices, more gay people, that gives a green light to all who feel disenfranchised, a green light to move forward. It means hope to a nation that has given up, because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone.

"So if there is a message I have to give, it is that I've found one overriding thing about my personal election, it's the fact that if a gay person can be elected, it's a green light. And you and you and you, you have to give people hope."

The news we hear each day can certainly be worrisome.  Crime is a problem and so are concerns about climate change, the election, and so many more things.  Many people have run out of hope.  Harvey Milk was right though of course.  You have to give people hope.  It is my dream that someday that will be a reality, and I truly believe that we CAN make it happen.  John Lennon believed the same thing - “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.  I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.”

Givers and Takers

There are two kinds of people in this world:  givers and takers.  It is very likely that the takers eat better, but I am absolutely certain that the givers sleep better!  (Someone, Marlo Thomas I think, said that before).

 

I am so blessed to know many, many givers!  I definitely am acquainted with more givers than takers.  How wonderful, huh?

 

In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Paul tells us to "remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

 

I would add that being givers is certainly wonderful, but there are times when we have to let others give to us.  It is certainly not a bad thing to graciously accept a gift.

Read any good books lately?

Have you read any good books lately? Seriously. That might sound like an odd question here, but books can be powerful tools! It might be a book you read that will inspire you to change the world. If you don't read much, you should try it. You will find amazing things!

I book can bring you a lot of information too. If you love cooking or building or designing or any number of hobbies, books can be of great help. They can show you how to do things and even give you ideas of things you might never have thought of.

How about a nice adventure story or trashy romance novel or a suspenseful murder mystery? The fiction on your bookshelves can transport you to just about anywhere. Want to learn a new hobby or explore history? There are all kinds of non-fiction options. Having a tense day? Perhaps a book of poetry can help soothe things. How about a volume of jokes and riddles? Maybe what you need is just a nice coffee table book filled with great photographs.

If your home is without much of a literary selection, surely there is a library not too far away. If you're lucky, there might even be a nice little bookstore with selections that not only might bring you joy, some titles you might bring home for others too. After all, the joy of books is good to share. Books make good presents too!

Of Human Kindness

Imagine being very hungry. I don't mean that feeling you get when you suddenly see a food commercial on tv or when you smell a fresh pizza or when you begin thinking about what to eat on your lunch hour. I'm talking about the feeling you must have when it has actually been DAYS since you ate anything. 

You have no money. You have no food. Hunger is very real. You aren't thinking about the soup kitchen that feeds you for free. You might not even know about it. You are just hungry - VERY hungry, and you happen to walk past a produce stand.

I'm sure you have heard people say "there are exceptions to the rule," but just what are those exceptions and when do they occur? If that extremely hungry person with no money comes across a stand with fresh fruits and vegetables, is it wrong for him to steal an orange or two? Should he be arrested for grabbing a tomato and eating it? Perhaps he should say to the owner, "I am very hungry. Could you give me some fruit?" Then, having said that, how should the owner respond? If you were shopping and you saw someone run up and snatch a fresh plum and take a bite out of it, what would you think? Would human kindness guide you to offer to buy something for this man?

Picture this in your mind for whatever kind of shopping experience you might have. Hunger is very real and needy people can react in a variety of ways. What should our response be? Do we even care?

Too Big

The whole task - the "making change in the world" idea - some may just shrug their shoulders and say "It's too big"! How often have we heard that? There is so much to do. How can one person make a difference? With that "it's too big" attitude, we are counting ourselves out even before we begin. It's the little things though that really can make a difference. Certainly, we can all do some little thing! 

It was Mother Teresa (now recognized as a saint) who said "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." She certainly got that one right!

Don't worry if you don't have tons of time or tons of money. Give what you are able to give. That's the key.  If we each give back something - anything, it really will make a difference! Give a few minutes of your time. Put a sign up in your window.  Donate cash or clothing.

In the familiar Bible story of the loaves and fishes feeding the five thousand, we always assume that Jesus created more food. What if it was a different kind of miracle? What if Jesus made us do the work that he knew were capable of doing? If some of the people had brought food with them, even if just a tiny snack, then they could have combined that and everyone could have been fed. Now I know some of you might not like me suggesting that a popular Scripture happened a little differently than we have always thought, but consider it for a moment. The crowd was too big to be fed by the small amount of food they knew they had. Jesus was not worried at all though. Very much the same as now. We ask God for more food or more money or a better job. Perhaps when we achieve these things it is because he led us to our own accomplishment.

If we all do a little - if we all do what we can, it will make a difference. Nothing is too big when everyone pitches in!

Unforgettable

I don't know how many of you ever read Reader's Digest magazine, but they used to have a regular series of the most unforgettable person you have ever known.  I read about some pretty remarkable people in those pages.  Here in this blog I have written about some pretty incredible people too.  There are many others of course.  Some people don't ever make it to the pages of Reader's Digest of course or even to the postings of my blog, but that doesn't mean they aren't unforgettable.

 

In the comments section below, it would be so helpful if you told us about some unforgettable people that you know of.  They can be personal heroes of yours or folks that you have heard about or friends that have done really fantastic things that you think other people should know about.  There are so many wonderful people in this world and it's great to hear positive, uplifting stories.  So, who do you think is unforgettable? 

This is an easy one.  Think back to your high school or college days or think back to your first job or to some really special person you met years ago.  Think back to any time.  You don't even have to write a lot.  Share some stories with us!  Who do you think is unforgettable?

honesty

It has been said that honesty is the best policy.  Most people I know agree - I certainly do, and yet we face dishonest behavior every single day.  It may be the shoplifter or the person who sneaks on the bus without paying or the one who tells you a fib just because you won't know any better.  There are all kinds of dishonest things around us, but why?

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one,” said our country's first President, George Washington.  Indeed.  All too often we hear excuses that really are not true.

Another early American said something most profound about being truthful.  Thomas Jefferson, our third President once said “Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom.”

Although it may be difficult to admit mistakes or failures, it is far better to be honest than to add to such mistakes or failures the extra burden of an untruth.  May we all learn to honest in in all we do. 

Strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate?

Listening to a talk show the other day, I heard a well-meaning person several times speak of "lifestyle" and "sexual preference" when talking about lesbians and gays. Well, after the smoke came out of my ears, I realized it was time to do one of those "educational" posts.

First off, it is NOT a preference! Let me give you an example of preference. Some people eat vanilla ice cream. Some like chocolate better. My favorite happens to be strawberry. Of course I will eat any of those flavors. I love ice cream. What we are talking about here though is a preference. I prefer strawberry. It is my personal preference.

Now when it comes to dating men or dating women, this is NOT a preference matter. I do not simply like one better than the other. Oh no! I am ONLY attracted in a sexual and in a romantic way to men. I am gay. It is my orientation, NOT my preference. It's also not a lifestyle choice. You don't wake up one morning and say "I'm going to wear the gay outfit today."

Now I am sure that someone may disagree with all of this, so I ask as I always do for your comments below. I'd love to know if anyone agrees. From where I sit though there is a big difference and saying sexual preference suggests what we make a choice, when in fact our orientation was predetermined and was not our choice. So, what do YOU think? Any thoughts?

Just a perfect blendship

Some silly relaxation before going to bed last night - I watched an episode of that old series The Golden Girls.  As you may recall, the theme song is Thank You For Being A Friend.  I'm sure I was singing along in my head.

I woke up this morning to the sound of Dionne Warwick singing That's What Friends Are For on the radio.  Shortly after that I accidently clicked a youtube link and went to an old clip of Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance singing about friendship.  There must be a theme here! 

What a wonderful thing friendship is.  It can actually make you sing!  I started to sing along with Lucy and Ethel.

"It's friendship, friendship,

Just a perfect blendship,

When other friendships have been forgot

Ours will still be hot!

Lahdle-ahdle-ahdle-dig-dig-dig."

The wonderful Dutch priest Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen had some good thoughts on the 

"Friendship is one of the greatest gifts a human being can receive. It is a bond beyond common goals, common interests, or common histories. It is a bond stronger than sexual union can create, deeper than a shared fate can solidify, and even more intimate than the bonds of marriage or community. Friendship is being with the other in joy and sorrow, even when we cannot increase the joy or decrease the sorrow. It is a unity of souls that gives nobility and sincerity to love. Friendship makes all of life shine brightly. Blessed are those who lay down their lives for their friends."

Change the World

Listening to Eric Clapton sing Change the World, I find myself thinking of all the many things I would love to do. Clapton's song is really a love song, but it's from the motion picture Phenomenon and the film was about someone who indeed changed the world.

 

A couple of wonderful scenes from the movie stick in my mind. In on of them, the lead character George Malley asks his love interest Lace Pennamin, "Hey, would you, uh, love me for the rest of my life?" Her response: "No, I'm gonna love you for the rest of mine." In another scene, George is trying to comfort the two small children of Lace, who have just learned that he is dying. George uses an apple as a metaphor, saying that no matter what, an apple will rot and die if thrown on the ground, but if you were to take a bite out of it, the apple would become a part of you, and you would carry it with you forever. I really love that way of looking at it. He is essentially saying that he will therefore live forever.

 

From a Clapton song to a major film, there are different ways of looking at leaving a piece of yourself behind - of changing the world.  If we all do something that becomes a part of others, we will in a sense, live forever.  Of course we don't try to do good or change the world, just so we will have immortality.  We do it to benefit our families and our friends and other loved ones.  We all can change the world!

kindness is not weakness

Today's message is a very simple one. In life sometimes the most simple messages are the most profound.   I don't know who wrote these words, but I believe them and wanted to share them with you.

"Only a fool mistakes kindness for weakness. There is the heart of a lion within the spirit of a lamb. Grace is selfless strength."

Indeed, kindness is not weakness. A message you might wish to share with others, especially during these difficult times.  Oh, how I wish we lived in kinder world, but of course we have the power to make it that way!  

Many of you already know that I write another blog, all about kindness.  If you click HERE, you can check it out!

reviving a past custom

Remember when you were in school and got tons of Valentines? Remember how good that made you feel? Wouldn't it be cool to revive that custom? Well today's the day! Imagine how the homeless person you see every day would feel if you gave him a Valentine treat. Think about the elderly people you know who might not have a lot of folks in their lives anymore. I simple card could do wonders to brighten their day!

Sometimes Valentine's Day becomes a popularity contest, and I really don't think that was the original intent. I mentioned here before in fact that many schools these days have a policy that if you bring Valentine cards in to exchange, there must be one for everyone. I'm not sure if schools should get involved, but I do know it's not fun seeing some kids with tons of cards or gifts, and others with nothing. The same is just as true with adults. If you are going to spread around some joy, you might want to take care that you aren't giving to some in front of others to whom you are not giving.

The whole process though can be very simple. Those simple cards we used to give are still available. You can buy the boxes of classroom style cards with about 20 in a box, at most drugstores and discount stores. Pick up a few boxes of them and revive that old custom of giving them out to many, and give a little joy at the same time!

Dr King said

We all know that The Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr was a very wise leader who is often quoted. I have certainly quoted his wise words here many times over the years.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."  It's one of his most quoted statements, and one of my favorites.  Truly this world can use more light and more love!  I really am sick and tired of all the hate, but like Dr King I believe things will get better if we all unite.

By the way, this is one of my favorite quotes of all time.  Think about it as you go through your day.  If you are a particular fan of Dr King, you might also like "Thou, Dear God": Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits Collection of Dr. King's prayers. (2011), edited by Dr Lewis Baldwin.

Make my day!

Guess how may ways there are to brighten someone's day.  Go ahead, guess how many.  Is that a difficult question?  Perhaps it is just a little misleading, because there correct answer is that you cannot guess.  There really is no limit.  The number of things you might do to brighten someone else's day comes down to just one thing:  YOU!

 

How creative are you?  Do ideas simply pop into your head?  Are you always thinking up new ideas?  Think about this then and come up with more great I ideas to make their day!  Yes, this hasn't been the greatest year, but that does not mean we can't make it better!

 

When you are walking down the street and someone approaches you, the first thing you should do is smile.  What a wonderful way to brighten that person's day!  I see all kinds of things every day, and as I said, there really is no limit. Use your imagination. Hold the door for that person with their hands full with packages.  Secretly pick up someone else's breakfast tab in the restaurant where you eat.  Write encouraging thoughts on decorated paper and place then on car windshields. 

 

Ideas?  I'd love to hear them!  Do share some with us in the comments section below!

Be The Good

It's a gorgeous Sunday morning (at least where I live) - the start of another great week, and I am energized!  While it is so often said that things aren't as good as they used to be, I say "Why not?"  We can have good if we truly want to have good.  We have to believe!  

 

I remember someone I used to go to school with who always said "If you don't like the world we live in, make it a better world."  Indeed.  I don't want this to sound like some kind of fairy tale story, but it really is true.  

We each can do good things - every single one of us.  Believe.  We each can change the bad that we see and make things better.  Believe it!  We each, even if only in a small way, can contribute to our world and make these days good, instead of those days.

 

Do you believe in yourself?  Do you believe in your family and in your friends?  Believe there's good in our world.  Be the good in our world!

It's the Year of the Dragon

Happy New Year everyone! No, I am not a month late. Today begins the Lunar New Year (often called Chinese New Year even though other Asian countries celebrate) so get ready for the lion dances, dragons, fireworks, and a whole lot of tradition.

There are 12 different animals in the Chinese zodiac: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, dragon, and pig. This is the year of the dragon. You might notice that the dragon is only animal of the zodiac that is mythical.

The occasion is celebrated differently all over the world, but most festivities include lion and dragon dances, parades, and fireworks. Over the years, I have loved the various traditions and have always enjoyed the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco.  Celebrate!  Get to know other cultures.  Enjoy the many traditions.

Let's make a better world

There is a LOT of work to do.  I have spoken here about this before, but I want to do more than talk.  There are many things in need of repair, but at the top of the list is our attitude toward each other.  Hate needs to end.  We need to put an end to racism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and every single kind of hate.  It seems to come in waves, but it isn't new.  Hate has been around for centuries.  Let's stop it.

How?  That's a tough question.  That's why today I am asking for your suggestions.  Down below in the comments section, please write something that might help.  Do we need stronger laws?  Should there be more severe penalties?  Do we simply need to increase the amount of love and kindness in our world?  What do you think?  

There are some organizations that are collecting money, but what will that be used for?  How does that change anything?  There are some groups that have gathered to provide citizen street patrols.  Good idea?  How is that working?

Some ideas might work for one thing, but not another.  The anti-Asian hate that is so extremely high right now, might be stopped by something that wouldn't be as effective against anti-gay hate.  Let's hear all of your suggestions though.  We need to get this done.  Let's make a better world!

The eye of the beholder

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of? Your mother's smile? How about a colorful flowerbed? Perhaps a gorgeous piece of jewelry?  Maybe a child peacefully napping?  The bright golden sunrise? Beauty might not just be something you are looking at, but perhaps you think first of the beauty of a deed that someone does.

 

Think about it for a moment. Did you recently hear someone remark "Oh, that's so beautiful"? Do you remember what they were talking about? 

 

Of course beauty isn't always the same for everyone. It's in the eye of the beholder, some say. Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard's Almanac back in 1741, "Beauty, like supreme dominion, Is but supported by opinion."

Beauty can be anywhere.  So, what do YOU think is beautiful? Please give us some examples in the comments below. I'd really love to hear your thoughts.

purpose of life is to live it

The longest serving American First Lady was Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  She was one of the most quoted and most respected First Ladies too.  Yesterday something Mrs Roosevelt said came to mind.  “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Mrs Roosevelt certainly followed her own words.  She loved life so very fully, being active in public affairs long after her husband's death. She served as a UN delegate and later chaired John F. Kennedy's Presidential Commission on the Status of Women.  She wrote a newspaper column and was often on radio and later on television.  Her list of accomplishments would run for pages.  My point is that Eleanor Roosevelt LIVED.

 

How many of us can say the same thing?  Don't get stuck in a dead end job.  Don't keep thinking about "some day."  Sometimes you have to take risks.  Want to change the world?  There is no better place to begin than with yourself.

 

So many people complain that their life is boring.  Way to many people are unhappy.  Remember the words of Mrs Roosevelt:  “The purpose of life is to live it.”

Smile, what's the use of crying?

One of my favorite song lyrics says "Smile, what's the use of crying?"  Indeed.  Charles Chaplin, John Turner, and Geoffrey Parsons gave us something very special in that song they wrote.  I can almost hear it right now.  I love Petula Clark's version, and even Michael Jackson's,  but the best known of course is from Nat King Cole.

Song lyrics can change our mood, and so it's those happy words that I want to hear the most of!  Our little road trip from San Francisco has features a lot of happy songs and a lot of singing.  I'm even getting a little hoarse. (Chaplin, by the way did the music and the words came from Turner and Parsons).  You certainly can't go wrong when the title is Smile!  Smiling is just about the happiest thing a person can do! 

The last three simple lines of that song really say it so well! 
 

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

questions

Questions:  Is this the first time you have read this blog? Have you been here before?   What made you stop and read this?    Do you know what this blog is all about?  Have you read more than one entry?     Do you share our desire to spread good and to make a difference in the world?    Do you think it is important to give back to society?    Are there things that you do purposely to make a difference?    Would you like to share some of them with us (in the comments section below)?    Do you have any heroes?   Can you think of more ways to spread good?    What inspires you more than anything else?   Do you think you can take a few seconds to answer any or all of these questions?   Do you have any questions for us?   Do you think you will start to follow this blog regularly?  Will you tell your friends about this blog?

Fifty

Walking down an unfamiliar street in Nashville many years ago, it suddenly began to rain. It wasn't a light shower but rather a cold and pounding downpour. I wasn't wearing an overcoat and had no umbrella, so I was soaked almost immediately. My usual sunny disposition had turned to quite the opposite, but all that was about to change for the better.

 

Hurrying up the sidewalk with water pouring off of me, I looked down and there in front of me was a fifty-dollar bill! Oh my! Suddenly the rain didn't seem so bad. If it hadn't been raining, surely that money would have blown away. I put it in my pocket and continued on my way.

 

Later when I mentioned my good luck to a friend, he said "But it isn't yours. Did you even try to find the rightful owner?"

 

This wasn't a wallet or an identifiable piece of property. It was US currency that someone had likely dropped without knowing, but since I didn't witness it, how could I possibly find the person it belonged to?

 

I'm telling you this story today to solicit your thoughts. Was I wrong to keep it? Was that a dishonest act? What would YOU have done?

The Boy and the Starfish

All good stories begin with "Once upon a time," right? Well here's one, that was adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977). You might find it reminding you of a similar story I recently told about a dog, and the message is really the same, so read on.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a little boy, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" said the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the boy replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

Indeed. It made a difference for every single starfish the boy threw into the water. The message this morning is clear, and it's one I have I shared over and over. WE can make a difference. WE can be superheroes. WE can do some pretty incredible things. If we throw our hand up in surrender and don't even try to make this a better world, of course we won't be giving back, but each of us can and should give back in our own way. If it seems overwhelming and that our contributions won't make a bit of difference, remember the story of the boy and the starfish!

What makes you smile?

What makes you smile?  What is it that makes you happy?  Think really hard now - is there an incident in your life that made you the happiest you have ever been?  Think about it.  I'll bet there have been a lot of special times.  There might not have been a lot of those moments lately, but we can still have more in our future.

 

Now here's what we can do - this is something every one of us can do.  List those special moments in your life and see what they might have in common.  Were they special because of someone else?  Did someone do something really nice for you.  Was it another person's act that brought you that smile?

 

Now let us recreate those moments, only instead of us smiling - instead of us being the happy ones, let's try to put smiles on the faces of others.  Here's the things though:  in doing this, I'll bet we'll be smiling just as much as the other person!

No man is an island

For some reason, when I awoke this morning, I could hear Joan Baez in my mind singing

♫No man is an island,
No man stands alone,
Each man's joy is joy to me,
Each man's grief is my own.

We need one another,
So I will defend,
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend.♫

The message of course is a timeless one.  We need each other.  Simple, huh? 

In the Book of  Ecclesiastes it says "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe unto him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

How many of us feel alone though?  COVID-19 changed how we do things, at least for awhile, and so many of us have spent a lot more time all by ourselves.  Is it the fault of the others in our world, or could we be doing something differently?  There have always been folks who live alone and can't easily get out to be with others.

There is an story of a little boy who is having a tough time trying to lift a very heavy rock. His dad comes along and seeing him trying, and failing, to lift the rock, asks him, “Are you using all of your strength?” The little boy looks at him rather impatiently, and says, “of course I am!” “No, you are not,” replies the father, “I am right here waiting and you haven’t asked me to help you.”

Yes, it is wonderful to reach out to others.  It is wonderful to do things that will benefit those around us.  That's pretty much what we talk about here every single day.  That is one of the big lessons of this past year too.  It is important to note though that when someone does not reach out to us, it is okay for us to ask. 

In his letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul says "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  How can I help you, AND how can you help me?  We are not alone.  We need each other.

If our strength were to be measured not by what we can do alone but by what we can do together, how would the world change? How might those changes reflect in our idea of caring and of being cared for?