It must cause some insurmountable fear, a fear so deep that it doesn't fall far from terror. It may be perceived as a threat, a dense threat as thick as mist to be at the heart of so many disagreements and arguments. Or maybe it's a major embarrassment or shame. At the least, it must be very, very difficult to do, requiring a lot of learning and practice and expertise; so much so that not many take on the task.What am I talking about?
Put plain and simply, I'm talking about helping. I'm talking about giving. I'm talking about altruistic service to others. I'm talking about doing instead of talking about helping others.
This has become such a dirty thing, and it astounds me to no end. It's so hypocritical that it goes beyond belief. How in the hell can some people blow their horns so loudly about being good Christians yet yell just as loudly when the thought of actually helping someone presents itself?
Now, the noise is at a fever pitch. The government is going to step in and try to help people, though in ways that might prove to be misguided and useless. Instead of coming up with viable alternatives, the only noise heard is "that will create a larger government," or "people will become dependent" or even more vague, "that is throwing good money after bad."
From what I can see, the majority of the people yelling about the attempts to salvage what's left of the country are the ones least affected by the economic downturn. They aren't the ones drawing unemployment with little hope of finding a job. They aren't the ones losing their homes along with their jobs to now stand in line for food stamps. They aren't the ones that clean toilets, mop floors, make parts, package lunch meat or take phone orders, drive a truck or fill the orders in a warehouse.
No, the people yelling "foul!" right now are the ones who are hanging onto every last penny, and with a death grip. They aren't far from joining the rest of us in the soup line, and their money is their only lifeline.
And therein lies the problem. Since when is the only gauge of success how much freaking money you have? It's that attachment to the monetary, the mundane, that is at the heart of this mess, and that's exactly what will keep drawing it out a lot longer than it has to. Your attachment to the meaninglessness of life is dooming the whole planet!
Since when does greed override altruism? Is that what you call being a good person?
The photo of the Bartlet pear tree above is one I took today. Those trees are everywhere here, bringing the countryside alive with all those white flowers. It symbolizes a purity, a washing away of the gray of winter, to herald in the colors soon to come.
Helping others helps us. Feeling depressed? Go out of your way to help someone else and the depression will go away. Worried about your health? Visit someone fighting cancer and your worries seem insignificant. Any day we can take our mind off ourselves by helping someone else is a good day.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Judy, that there are far more benefits to giving than taking!
ReplyDeleteI've noticed over the years that some people just can't be helped. We should learn how to help people help themselves because sometimes the more we do the more they sit back and expect it. It's great when we give from the heart then we really can feel good, but most people expect something in return or at least that has been my experience.
ReplyDeleteI think the nature of altruism is to give without expecting anything in return.
ReplyDeleteAnd, that's why you give what is needed, not wanted. If a person needs to learn to help himself, then that is what you give.
I agree.Especially where children are concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe ground is not clear here because some people choose to live the way they do.They resent you trying to help them and refuse. In fact they symbolize true utopian freedom.They require little more than a back pack and maybe a dog.
I find people today have become more dependent on being supplied with the things they need and would not know the first thing about survival if they had to one day, like they did in the colonial times.
For example, how to make soap from ashes,how to make candles from fat, how to wear fur in summer to stay cool,how to hunt,how to make a shelter, how to use insects for protein,how to obtain clean water and make a fire with nothing at your disposal.If there would ever be a war, I am sure these people would have a head start on most of us.I love watching survivor where this guy goes and tries to show people what they have to do in various living conditions.