TIME TO PUT GRATITUDE INTO ACTION
Doing the Most Good, and Above All, Love

The US economy is strong, so the economic pundits say.

Inflation is dropping, but that trickle-down effect is not reflected in ordinary families’ financial situations.

Nor is it of any comfort to any working family that is now struggling to make ends meet.

Food banks and helping hand charities, in soliciting increasing support, are reporting that the demand for basic living needs has increased substantially from the prior year.

More concerning, in the ominous financial choice of paying the rent or buying groceries, more employed workers are seeking assistance just to get by.

Who knows how many are one paycheck away from homelessness?

Noticing cars in large box-store parking lots, often in a remote corner, one can only surmise if the occupants are indeed in such hopeless situations.

The rest of us may not be so affected.

In fact, most of us have never felt the constant fear, neediness, and humiliating exhaustion of finding / begging for food, nor even having access to basic bathroom and laundry facilities.

That is being - financially less than survival level – working poor.

We are incredibly lucky.

We can still buy our creature comforts, although possibly not in the same volume or value as in previous extravaganza years. The point being, we have the choice to buy – or not – because we can afford to.

But, this, too, will pass, you think. Once inflation is normalized, the gravy train will be back. 

Maybe yes, maybe no.

We cannot predict the future.

We can in our own way when we are able to, however, help those who without basic needs as food, lodging and healthcare, have lost hope for the future.

There are so many altruistic organizations, incredibly caring souls among us, who have given their career and retirement years to the care of others.

The Salvation Army is one of them.

Their Commitment, Doing the Most Good and Above All, Love, means meeting human needs without discrimination across the world

This is their complete dedication to humanity.

They have participated in disaster relief efforts for more than 100 years.

They believe in economic justice, providing comfort and support in times of need.

In 2023, in the United States alone, they served 168 million free meals, plus provided financial assistance to 3 million more.

They are ardent campaigners against international human trafficking and slavery.

They believe in God's work by showing their commitment to practice what they preach.

They truly live the life.

There are many other invisible ordinary citizens who help anonymously and willingly. All these wonderful people have prioritized community service above personal success.

Our own teachers, for instance, who generously dip into their own pockets to buy meals (and clothing, etc.) for children with none, always come to mind having known some personally. Teachers receive so little in compensation given their challenges to enhance the creative young minds of our precious children.

Selflessly kind, these are the people who deserve our gratitude this year. They are our true heroes.

Sharing the Abundance of Privilege.

This is the challenge to YOU.

To all those who can afford to help this year, it is now time to do so.

If you have never given before, show compassion and caring for your community (and people) who have had to take a step backward in the quest to 'get ahead' in life.

It can be monetary or in-kind: cook for a neighbor, garden up a yard, help in a food kitchen, buy a tank of gas for a family, pick up a bag of groceries at checkout, volunteer at a hospital, drive elderly to medical appointments, clean up after storms, you know what you can do.

In our United States, such a wealthy modern country, if every person in the workforce of 161.5 million (October 2024) gave $5 (the cost of one bag of chips) to the charity of their choice, that's $807 Million dollars.

Double that to $10 dollars, just the cost of lunch out - translates into 1.6 trillion dollars.

Now that's funding a lot of meals.

This is a one-time donation – what if you double that to twice a year, three times a year?  A tiny, tiny amount that you won’t even miss - multiplied thousands of times has enormous caring power!

Think of the power you have personally - to contribute to the well-being of someone else’s life.

Imagine how the act of giving, instead of getting, can enhance your own self esteem.

You can do this.

We can do this, as a community we always have.

Let's not get too self-satisfied either.

You never know when you might need a helping hand.

         Written in memory of our father, Cecil E Harris - The Bermuda Sewing Machine Man  - who was a great supporter of his church community and the Bermuda Salvation Army.