Community. What does it mean to you? Is it the city you live in, perhaps the neighborhood, or even your church? Or, rather, is community the deeper sense of belonging that we all strive for inside?
I used to view community service as punishment, and punishment only. It often is. In my mind, it was merely something we do to make up for an infliction on the world around us, or to make your college application look a little shinier. I thought to myself, 'What's in it for me?'. It's easy to fall into that state of mind: Where is my gain? What is my benefit?, when in reality the benefit is not intended for us at all.
Being part of a community, as I am just realizing, is a far larger picture than just our particular part within it. Together we share in the fruit of our labors. Whether the 'we' is our family, church, or city, we support it and are intimately connected to it. No action we take goes unnoticed by our community. We work, and our communities share in the harvest that we reap from our business. Good or bad.
Next time you go into your town to shop, have a look around. What do you see? Do you see a collection of outposts with walls around them, each guarding themselves from the outside world? No, not at all. On the contrary, we see many pieces of a greater whole, all open and actively a member of the community. It is as though the towns and cities we live in are living organisms. Each member of the organism has a job, and, without each member, the greater whole shall fail. The highways, which were built by our sons, brothers, and fathers, are the veins, each carrying the life-blood of our community. We the humans; we are the hearts, lungs, and brains that keep the collection of chaotic events organized and progressive. Every one of us plays a critical role in the development and sustentation of our communities.
How awesome it is to be part of such a beautiful dance! We are able to enjoy so much because of our ability to work together. All of our luxuries are born out of community. Our friendships, intimate relationships, our jobs; they are each and every one good. They are all born out of our ability to communicate effectively.
The ramifications of our communities can be felt throughout our everyday lives. When a cop decides to crack down on speeders throughout a section of highway, it's not just a hairbrained idea. It's because somebody is obviously doing it. We all catch the effect in progress. We are constantly a cause, and no cause goes without effect. It is clear, then, that we must ensure that our causes produce positive effects.
That is the true intention behind community service. I am glad I learned it, as it changed my perspective on how I effect my community. What I realized is this: every breath, every action, and every moment carries with it the possibility to change somebody's life, and potentially the world, forever. Be careful that you choose your actions carefully. They will not only effect you, but every single person who can and will come into contact with you.
Peace be with you.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
UNTamable
Show me a mountain, oh glorious mountain, of which no man has traversed. In due time, you will find, it is another domestication of the wild, whose legend is no more.
Show me the end of the earth, at which no waking eye may gaze. I will bring back to you a floating ball; quite contrary to your enigma.
Show me a vast valley of scorching heat, as it may be quite untamable. Yet, now we see, ah yes, it is a field of glass and current, and thus powers our luxuries.
Hath not the wild bestowed unto us a true challenge? For which conquest, which fare, can we not claim dominion?
Such is the story of Man. Such is the glory of God.
Show me the end of the earth, at which no waking eye may gaze. I will bring back to you a floating ball; quite contrary to your enigma.
Show me a vast valley of scorching heat, as it may be quite untamable. Yet, now we see, ah yes, it is a field of glass and current, and thus powers our luxuries.
Hath not the wild bestowed unto us a true challenge? For which conquest, which fare, can we not claim dominion?
Such is the story of Man. Such is the glory of God.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The Trade Winds
A trade. An art. A profession. Yet, nowadays, even a master craftsman is referred to as nothing more than an employee. Why is this the truth?
I am curious of why people who are skilled in thier arts and trades are not revered. For if I spend my entire life engrossed within my work, I certainly expect more than a paycheck to come from it. If my labors have been felt throughout my body for many years; sweat, blood, joy, and pain would come of it. The joy would be overpowering. The pain, unbearable. The investment would go beyond the life it allows me to live, and so it will become the life I do live.
Today, in the world market, a man, a business, or a company is measured by its profits. Gone are the days of quality assurance, labors of love in the marketplace, and the satisfaction brought to those who have worked many hours to craft goods. Rather, the things we buy and use are thrown together by robots, part of a massive dance aimed at economical progress, and leading to a deprecciated individual.
When we are growing as young children, we look to the adults around us as our models. Thier labors and trades become the skills and ideas we develop in order to make our own careers. What, then, is the fate of those who are raised in poverty, victim to a childhood of minimum wage witness, and who never see anything beyond a dad who works at McDonalds? Will they be rewarded from thier labors if they follow in fathers footsteps? Most certainly not. But, what's a father to do besides provide food and shelter for his family? And isn't it natural for a man's son to follow him in his trade? I say it's pivotal to a life of happiness.
Walk into most storefronts and you see one of two things. A distressed employee, weary from his long hours of work, and his face filled with shame for lack of artisanship in his veins. Or you see the smiling employee, full of optimism, knowing that her days here cant go on forever, and she is deeply awaiting the moment that she may fulfill a purpose in her career. The day that either of these individuals reach thier goal, in todays world, seems like it will not come to many people upon this earth. Not without the help of our Father in Heaven.
What do you think? Do you think there is still true reverance for those who are practicing the trades? Is a carpenter revered as much as a shrewd business man? Maybe you think that everyone falls into some niche, and are brought there to be fulfiled in some way? I have many questions as to why our careeers are empty, hollow, and sorrowful to us. I would absolutely love to hear your perspective on this issue.
Please, comment and let's discuss.
I am curious of why people who are skilled in thier arts and trades are not revered. For if I spend my entire life engrossed within my work, I certainly expect more than a paycheck to come from it. If my labors have been felt throughout my body for many years; sweat, blood, joy, and pain would come of it. The joy would be overpowering. The pain, unbearable. The investment would go beyond the life it allows me to live, and so it will become the life I do live.
Today, in the world market, a man, a business, or a company is measured by its profits. Gone are the days of quality assurance, labors of love in the marketplace, and the satisfaction brought to those who have worked many hours to craft goods. Rather, the things we buy and use are thrown together by robots, part of a massive dance aimed at economical progress, and leading to a deprecciated individual.
When we are growing as young children, we look to the adults around us as our models. Thier labors and trades become the skills and ideas we develop in order to make our own careers. What, then, is the fate of those who are raised in poverty, victim to a childhood of minimum wage witness, and who never see anything beyond a dad who works at McDonalds? Will they be rewarded from thier labors if they follow in fathers footsteps? Most certainly not. But, what's a father to do besides provide food and shelter for his family? And isn't it natural for a man's son to follow him in his trade? I say it's pivotal to a life of happiness.
Walk into most storefronts and you see one of two things. A distressed employee, weary from his long hours of work, and his face filled with shame for lack of artisanship in his veins. Or you see the smiling employee, full of optimism, knowing that her days here cant go on forever, and she is deeply awaiting the moment that she may fulfill a purpose in her career. The day that either of these individuals reach thier goal, in todays world, seems like it will not come to many people upon this earth. Not without the help of our Father in Heaven.
What do you think? Do you think there is still true reverance for those who are practicing the trades? Is a carpenter revered as much as a shrewd business man? Maybe you think that everyone falls into some niche, and are brought there to be fulfiled in some way? I have many questions as to why our careeers are empty, hollow, and sorrowful to us. I would absolutely love to hear your perspective on this issue.
Please, comment and let's discuss.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Stand up -- Use Your Voice
We are closer today than we ever have been, right? The worlds massive expanses are traversed in milliseconds, millions of times a day, due to the rapid advancements in network technology. Why is it, then, that we are further from the truth then ever? Shouldn't we be on the front lines of breaking news at all times with such amazing information relay speeds? This isn't the case, however, instead, we are so wrapped up in a personalized webspace that we are miles away (figuratively) from what truly matters in our world. Politics, hunger, world affairs, all of these things need our attention, yet get so little of it that I fear for our near future.
I'm sure some of you heard of the Debt Crisis and its ensuing political arguments in some form. The United States of America was in a situation, a problem, that led to an immediate need for a new bill to be passed; a bill leading to a higher debt cieling. The debt cieling is basically how much we are allowed to borrow, at most, from foreign countries to pay our expenses. Why we're raising that number is simple, too much porkbelly spending on unnecessary government agencies and a broken medical reform bill, just to shoot a couple down.
Ok, so, Americans around the world watch and listen to the situation, in fear of a 21st century version of the great depression should we have defaulted, and congress is busy debating where to make cuts to pay our bills. What? I'm sorry I missed that last part.... Where to make cuts?
Doesn't congress vote itself pay raises? Yes. Aren't there unnecessary government acencies who are siphoning our resources just as heavily as any social security beneficiary? Yes. Isn't the government's job to protect the interests of the People?? ...... well, I won't sound treasonous...
It seems relatively simple to me. Cut that which is unnecessary.
If you, me, or anyone around us wants to see changes, not Obama's dumb ass promises either, I mean real, effective, changes, then we are going to have to get involved. Our forefather's imagined a country governed by its people; people who were everyday citizens like you and I. We have to stop trusting the political machine, turning a blind eye, and stop being apathetic.
The contemporary leaders of our country have faltered from the path of our forefathers. Instead of protecting our interests they are looking out for thier own. They are banking on this startling fact: YOU are not using your voice. You see, WE have the power, not them. They are getting away with stripping us of our God-given rights because it protects thier own interests. All the while we sit back on our couch, watching the news, and bitching about how much we disagree with what's happening in our country.
Knock it off. Use your voice. The majority always wins, and if we band together we will undoubtedly be the majority. Stand up and get involved in community politics that seeps its way up to the top. Be part of those willing to ask questions, make arguments, and propose alternatives. Use the power invested in you by our constitution. Do it before the leaders of our government are able to change that...
I'm sure some of you heard of the Debt Crisis and its ensuing political arguments in some form. The United States of America was in a situation, a problem, that led to an immediate need for a new bill to be passed; a bill leading to a higher debt cieling. The debt cieling is basically how much we are allowed to borrow, at most, from foreign countries to pay our expenses. Why we're raising that number is simple, too much porkbelly spending on unnecessary government agencies and a broken medical reform bill, just to shoot a couple down.
Ok, so, Americans around the world watch and listen to the situation, in fear of a 21st century version of the great depression should we have defaulted, and congress is busy debating where to make cuts to pay our bills. What? I'm sorry I missed that last part.... Where to make cuts?
Doesn't congress vote itself pay raises? Yes. Aren't there unnecessary government acencies who are siphoning our resources just as heavily as any social security beneficiary? Yes. Isn't the government's job to protect the interests of the People?? ...... well, I won't sound treasonous...
It seems relatively simple to me. Cut that which is unnecessary.
If you, me, or anyone around us wants to see changes, not Obama's dumb ass promises either, I mean real, effective, changes, then we are going to have to get involved. Our forefather's imagined a country governed by its people; people who were everyday citizens like you and I. We have to stop trusting the political machine, turning a blind eye, and stop being apathetic.
The contemporary leaders of our country have faltered from the path of our forefathers. Instead of protecting our interests they are looking out for thier own. They are banking on this startling fact: YOU are not using your voice. You see, WE have the power, not them. They are getting away with stripping us of our God-given rights because it protects thier own interests. All the while we sit back on our couch, watching the news, and bitching about how much we disagree with what's happening in our country.
Knock it off. Use your voice. The majority always wins, and if we band together we will undoubtedly be the majority. Stand up and get involved in community politics that seeps its way up to the top. Be part of those willing to ask questions, make arguments, and propose alternatives. Use the power invested in you by our constitution. Do it before the leaders of our government are able to change that...
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