This week is Hope Week at La Puente. It attempts to get the community involved and help them understand aspects of volunteerism, homelessness, etc. It ends with a grand community picnic at the shelter. Tonight we had a candlelight vigil walking from the shelter to a church with 3 stops along the way where reflections were read at the railroad tracks, at a dumpster, and at a bank. I had the honor of doing a reflection at the bank (symbolizing the value we put in money). I post it here for your enjoyment (or laughter or anger or whatever). Kind of a repeat for most of you, but for those who don't read regular, it shares a bit of my motivation for being here.
Bank Statement
There was a day when I measured my wealth by my possessions. Not just money or my house but also my job title and how much other’s valued me. I contributed to charities and donated a small part of my time as an obligation and perhaps as a way to make up for my accumulations. As I grew older and my wealth increased, I only felt emptier. There was something beyond possessions that I was missing.
Now I see that regardless of how wealthy I am, my true friends are still my friends, my family still loves me, and my happiness isn’t measured by what I have, but how I view the world around me. As humans, our worth comes not from wealth, but from the compassion, love, and respect we hold for others. Seeing the connection between us all allows us to realize that true happiness comes not from material possessions but from loving ourselves as we are, and letting that love flow through us to others.
Superior Hiking Trail
3 comments:
I was struck by your comment on banking. Tomorrow I will 'win' a basket at the Community Support silent auction, my donation going to a charity that I will not pick and I will have no knowledge of the outcome of this small monetary donation. I feel like my 'giving back' is too easy and therefore empty. On the other hand my daily work supports an infrastructure that provides the opportunity for health benefits to 160,000 people. This makes me feel like a contributor yet it is unrecognized by society as 'doing good'.
I think our emphasis on doing good meaning doing something charitable is over stated. I agree with you whole-heartedly that each of us serves a purpose in society, and doing a job we enjoy well is just as important as working in a shelter. As I have often stated, my motives hear are not altruistic, but investigative. I personally feel there is something else I need to do, but as far as I know that may be learning how to ski better.
We're all looking for that something else that will make us feel whole and we find it at moments when it is least expected. Some charity work feels contrived while some routine computer work feels fulfilling, but not always for either one. For me personal gift-giving or cooking nourishing food for others has the power to fulfill and the glow lasts well beyond the moment. A fellow searcher...
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