I’m a little sad to tell you that my volunteer drive for the Thanks
Giving season was a complete and total failure. Actually it makes me too sad to
talk about it so let’s just move on.
Brian Meurer is not wallowing in my disappointment though. He’s put together a list of places to volunteer in Louisville and he’s eloquently encouraging you to do so.
I act as though tomorrow is guaranteed, completely unconcerned with
every contraction of my heart, expansion of my lungs, flow of
oxygenated blood to my brain. I don’t even consider the possibility
that a random accident or illness could irrevocable change my life. It
obviously goes without saying that I will have shelter, be able to go
the grocery, be able to pay the bills. That I will not be the victim of
domestic abuse. That the absence of tragedy is guaranteed. The size of
this illusion is astounding. I am continually reminded to be thankful
for a home, for love, for friends, for breath. I am reminded of those
around us in our city who are without, those we don’t think about
because they don’t directly affects us, that someone else will help
them, or even those observers who pour out that extra ounce of
judgement and pronounce they shouldn’t be in that situation, they
should pick themselves up by their bootstraps. I don’t even know what
bootstraps are. Need is need. Grace is grace. Compassion is compassion.
All we have is time and money. Usually not a lot of either. Consider
ways that you may enrich someone else’s life this season. Even if it’s
as small as cleaning out your home of clothes you haven’t touched in
over a year (my garage has 10 huge bags to go out), or canned goods, or
volunteering phone lines, deliveries, kitchen duty.Just before
signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin said “We
must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang
separately.”
December 05, 2008
Community Involvement, Volunteer