Do what you can

My sister loves playing and watching tennis and so naturally she was a big fan of Arthur Ashe.  Somehow his name came up talking to her the other day and I began thinking about how he was not only a tennis great, but a great inspiration in so many ways.  I hope he will always be remembered. 

 

It's been over twenty five years since he died from AIDS-related pneumonia, but his accomplishments on the tennis court, his memorable statements, his civil rights activism, and his heart disease and AIDS advocacy stand as a huge monument to a great man who made a great difference. His three-volume book titled A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete, is a very interesting read and his memoir Days of Grace takes a wonderful look at just who Arthur Ashe was.

 

So much of his life is inspiring, but if I had to take just one thing, I would look to some very wise words he once said. "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."

The Gospel According to Herb Caen

Herb Caen, the late newspaper columnist (who wrote for The San Francisco Chronicle and earlier for The San Francisco Examiner) was one of those people who made a difference in this world, mostly through his writing. When I picked up the morning paper, I went immediately to his daily column. A while back I reprinted here a column of his from back in April of 1991. This morning I thought I would share it again.  This is one you might even  want to share with friends.

Scene: The Heavenly Real Estate Office. The Landlord is cheerily rounding up a covey of blazing comets that have skittered under Queen Casseopera's Chair. His business agent, Gabriel, enters, his Golden Trumpet in one hand and more reports from the tiny planet Earth in the other.
 

Landlord: (to the Comets) Come out from under there, you little scamps, before you set the whole galaxy on fire.

Gabriel: Excuse me sir. Another batch of prayergrams from your most devout Christians.

Landlord: (waving a hand) Whatever they want, Gabriel. Now where did those freaky devils get to?

Gabriel: Yes sir, they want you to evict ten percent of your tenants down there. (Raising his Golden Trumpet) I've never attempted a partial eviction. Shall I try?

Landlord: (looking up) What ten percent, Gabriel?

Gabriel: The gays, sir. Your devout Christians say they've done their utmost to keep them out of their schools, their offices, their churches, and their lives, but with little success. So their prayergrams ask you to remove them from the face of your Earth.

Landlord: To me Gabriel, that doesn't sound very Christian. I thought they were supposed to love their neighbors.

Gabriel: Oh they do sir, if their neighbors are of the same color, economic bracket, and sexual orientation.

Landlord: But what harm do these gay people do?

Gabriel: I'm afraid you're not seeing the big picture, sir. Gays simply don't fit into your grand design. You know, two by two, male and female? Generation after generation? The fact of the matter is that gays simply don't procreate.

Landlord: I thought there was enough procreation down there already.


Gabriel: And they commit unspeakable acts.

Landlord: Murder? Torture? Paving over my mountain meadows?

Gabriel: Unspeakable sexual acts, sir.

Landlord: Ah, you mean they express their love for each other in different ways.

Gabriel: (annoyed) Really sir! If these people were automobiles, they'd be recalled in a nonce. They're clearly defective.

Landlord: (frowning) Defective, Gabriel?

Gabriel: Exactly sir. Some essential part if missing; some vital drive is malfunctioning. Bungled wiring – a loose screw...who knows?


Landlord: But clearly they're examples of shoddy workmanship?

Gabriel: Oh definitely sir. And they certainly don't deserve to clutter up your little blue-green jewel of a planet a minute longer. (Raising his Golden Trumpet again) Shall I evict them now?

Landlord: (slowly) And who made these imperfect products, Gabriel?

Gabriel: Why you did of course, but. . .(he lowers his trumpet in sudden consternation) Good You sir. I didn't mean to blaspheme. You will forgive them then?

Landlord: (smiling) A wise philosopher said long ago Gabriel that if I made sinners, it is not I who should forgive them, but they who should forgive me.

Gabriel: Well, I'm sure the gays will be glad to hear of your tolerance and generosity, sir.

Landlord: The gays? I was talking about my most devout Christians.

The suddenness of death

John McCain passed away of Saturday, the day after I wrote about him here.  For many it seemed sudden, even though he had just announced he was discontinuing cancer treatment.  Senator McCain touched many people and will surely be missed.  Funerals will be held both in Arizona and at National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

The gentleman pictured here, Ly Thao Nyia Yi, also lost his life on Saturday.  Mr Ly, as he was known, was certainly not as famous as Senator McCain, but everyone who met him will remember his friendly smile at various Farmer's Markets, especially the one in San Francisco's Castro District.  He operated Nyia Yi Farms in Stockton, which grows dozens of varieties of vegetables, including heirloom tomatoes and many Asian vegetables and herbs.

 

Mr Ly had just been at a farmer's market in San Mateo, CA and was on his way to pickup his wife who had been selling their vegetables at another farmer's market, when a big-rig overturned in the collision with his box truck.  Mr Ly never made it to his wife.  The suddenness of death took this man from his family and from the hundreds of customers who appreciated his quality vegetables as much as they appreciated his kindness and warm smile.  A GoFundMe page has been setup to help with the unexpected expenses the family now must face.  You can donate to it HERE.

Hero McCain

Since 1987, this man, John Sidney McCain III, has been serving in the United States Senate representing the state of Arizona.  Senator McCain would describe himself as conservative and traditional, and I have found myself disagreeing with him more often than not, but this blog has never been about me.  It's about making a difference, and in that regard, Senator McCain could easily be our posterperson.

 

The Senator, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, has made the decision to discontinue medical treatment, according to a statement released by his family early this morning.  It's not really a surprise.  It's the same kind of integrity that has become his hallmark.

 

It is well known that he was a pilot in the United States Navy and a prisoner of war in Vietnam.  It's also pretty well known that he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 and then an unsuccessful Republican nominee for President in 2008.  It's a little thing though that first caught my attention:  his birthday.  McCain was born on August 29th (1936), the day after my own birthday (different year of course).  Next week, as he turns 82, I hope you will consider sending warm wishes to this many who has dedicated his entire life to the service of his country.

 

John McCain served in the military, in the House, and in the Senate.  He has fought glioblastoma aggressively and surpassed expectations for his survival.  We hope he can enjoy the rest of his days in comfort and in peace.

Thank you Dr Gu

Seeing Eugene Gu, MD take a knee in the hallway of the hospital where he works is an image you may not have seen.  He posted this on twitter.  You might not know about his research on fetal tissue transplants and you may never of his tweets about justice and equality, but Dr Gu is making a difference and someday his name will be a household word.

 

I could write here about his time at Duke University School of Medicine or at Stanford University or about his hospital work, and I could tell you about his early days growing up in San Francisco, but this isn't meant to be a biography, I will mention though that his twitter page says he is a "surgeon-scientist hoping to cure heart and kidney diseases in babies."  Certainly a good thing.

 

What really makes Dr Gu stand out though for me is his willingness to do the right thing.  He tweets about fighting  white supremacy and about putting an end to hate.  He speaks out about those things that many remain silent about, even when it costs him his job.  Joining Colin Kaepernick and the dozens of football players and other athletes, he has taken a knee to make a statement of support and hopefully to make a difference.

The other day he tweeted "#MeToo cannot be invalidated.  But like all movements, it must grow and evolve.  Not all men are evil, not all women are saints, and due process is extremely important in all situations."  I agree.  It seems I find myself agree with pretty much all this leader is saying.

 

So thank you Dr Gu for taking a knee, for caring about our country, and for truly making a difference!

One person can make a difference

Several years ago, when I wrote my very first entry here, I spoke of changing the world; of giving back to society; of making a difference.  The theme of this blog has remained the same throughout and I trace it all back to my childhood when John F Kennedy was the US President.  Kennedy challenged us to dream.  He challenged us to make a difference.

It has been more than fifty years since his words were spoken, but they carry the same encouragement now, as then. On January 20, 1961 at his inauguration at the US Capital, Kennedy said the line most often quoted: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." The President was challenging every single American to contribute in some way to the public good - to make a difference. We still can answer that call!

I don't remember if it was Jacqueline Kennedy or John Kennedy who said this (it has been attributed to both, although Caroline Kennedy credits her father with the words in her forward to the anniversary edition of Profiles In Courage). "One person can make a difference and everyone should try." Indeed. Everyone.

 

I know this blog is NOT about me, and I don't know of my success here, but every day, through my blogs and activism, I want to do something that benefits someone else.  I hope you will join me.

Barn for the pigs

Have you been following the adventures of Little Dude at Barn Sanctuary?  Remember this incredible guy named Daniel McKernan who founded a place where animals can live safe and free?  I've written about them a few times here and now there is exciting new news.

 

They are building a pig barn!  Besides Little Dude (who I'm told actually thinks he's a cow), there are four other pigs,  June, Jasper, Adam, and Penny, and the hope is to be able to rescue more pigs.  Building a barn though takes money, and that's where we all can help.  They have setup a GoFundMe campaign, and you can donate by clicking HERE.

 

The place Daniel has created warms my heart.  Besides the pigs, Barn Sanctuary provides shelter to cows, sheep, goats, horses, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and rabbits who have been rescued from cases of abuse, abandonment, and natural disasters.  Looking at the videos of their work and the pictures from their website, you can't help but want to be involved!

 

I hope many of you will donate to this fundraiser for the new pic barn and also learn more about Barn Sanctuary.  If you visit their website at https://www.barnsanctuary.org/ you will find much more information, and you'll see that they even have t-shirts available.

Bus driver with kindness

Being a bus driver for a city's public transportation system can be a thankless job.  You have to deal with fare evaders, bad weather, traffic slowdowns, unruly passengers, and all kinds of things that can take away your sunny attitude, but nothing would get in the way of a local driver in Kingman, AZ who drove her last shift this weekend.  A family emergency caused her to resign from her position, resulting in a lot of tears and hugs as she said goodbye.

My policy here has always been to not identify any private person who has not previously received press coverage, and so I am respecting the privacy of this woman, but let me tell you - she is loved and will be missed!  She always greeted passengers with a smile, but there was so much more.  She had the patience of a saint.  A couple of her regular passengers are over 90 years old, and so patience really comes in handy!  She was always quick to give complete and accurate information to a newcomer or visitor.  She made you feel like you were part of the family.

I'd be wrong if I didn't acknowledge that several Kingman Area Regional Transit are above average - maybe they treat their employees right and the drivers pass that on to the passengers.  Whatever the cause, this particular driver is extra-special.  The City of Kingman might not want to know that she broke a few rules (nothing that would compromise safety) - things like waiting an extra few minutes for someone she saw running for the bus or letting someone out at a corner that wasn't actually a designated stop.  She was always thinking of the passenger.  She wasn't just the driver of their bus, she became their friend.  It's not often I get to say this about a bus driver, but this kind and caring woman truly made a difference!

To do good and to distribute

From the book Hebrews in The Bible:  "To do good and to distribute, forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." What exactly does that mean?  Well, the message is for us to not forget to do good and to share what we have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.  Actually the word "sacrifices" might not even be the best translation.  We might better say that God is pleased with those kinds of offerings.

 

Doing good and sharing - such a simple thing, huh? This pleases God and let me tell you it pleases a lot of others too. What though should we share?  How should we do good?  Of course there is not just one answer and it will likely be different for every one of us.  That's what makes it so wonderful. 

I have a coworker who brings fruit every day and she always offers me some.  It's part of who she is.  I have something and I will offer part of it to others.  It's like when you go to someone's house and they offer you a beverage or perhaps even a snack. You came to see them - nothing more, but in their charity and in their hospitality, they offer to share more than just themselves.

 

Think about this today. What does doing good mean in your life? How do you share what you have? (One really helpful kind of sharing is if you give us some feedback in the comments section below).

Updating a few things

Just a month ago I wrote here about Seth Owen, an openly gay high school student who left his parent's house after they required him to participate in their church activities, which included an anti-gay counseling.  One of Seth's teachers, Jane Martin, had set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Seth's college tuition.  Jane had set a goal of $20, 000 but as of today, they have raised $127,521 and the fund continues to grow.  We'll keep you posted, but this is indeed a happy ending.  You can still donate to this (in any amount) by going to https://www.gofundme.com/hoyaseth

I have written here a few times about Barn Sanctuary and their founder Dan McKernan.  Since I last wrote, they have opened their doors to visitors.  Right now, tours are on Saturdays only and run about 75 minutes.  Reservations are required.  Barn Sanctuary has made a huge difference in the lives of a number of animals and I can't wait to finally find time to go visit there myself.  If you haven't read my previous blog entries, you might want to go right to the source and check out their website at https://www.barnsanctuary.org/

 

While I write another blog (about kindness) every single day, this one is only Monday through Friday.  Recently I was looking back and noticed some missing entries.  It seems many have been deleted in the past few years.  There is no way to retrieve them since I didn't back them up with any other source.  Going forward, I am keeping a digital copy of all my blogs, just in case any should be erased again.

 

Thanks for checking out my words in this place.  Please feel free to tell your friends and also to leave comments.