It really doesn’t take all that much time, expense or talent to make the world around you a better place. Kindness. Consideration. Politeness. Agreeableness. Gratitude. Stepping up when the moment requires it. Even a smile and looking someone in the eyes when passing them carries some weight.
This was great moral brain food on this Sunday. Thanks John.
I live in California but have roots in the Midwest.
In the Midwest town where most of my extended family is from and resides, the older married guy next door to the newly arrived colored hair, tattooed and pierced lesbian couple tell them directly that he does not approve of their life choices... but when one of the girls gets very sick, he mows their grass, clears the snow from their walkways and his wife brings them meals and drives them to appointments.
In my liberal college town, the liberal neighbor smiles and pleasantly chats about the weather with her neighbor owning the Ford F150 with a Trump 2020 bumper sticker sill attached. When she goes inside she tells her liberal college professor husband that she hopes he crashes his truck and dies, and that his wife dies of cancer and his kids are made orphans. He nods in approval.
WI guy myself, and that is my experience as well because I live near and attended UW-Madison, the "Berkeley of the Midwest." Can't talk and hear a lick of sense from most Madisonians, but get out into the small towns where the college professors don't go and you meet and talk with a lot of decent people who do live by the golden rule, instead of play acting a la virtue signaling.
Actually, I find that I do most of those things on the list because of the "golden rule." Especially now that I'm retired and not in such a rush. I'd like to think that other people would do the same things for me, and if it's Karma or good vibes it does seem to send out ripples that will come back. I find myself more generous with "gifts of service" than with cash because my wife encourages me not to spend our money, and it's not worth arguing with her about that. The old "Fixed income" excuse I guess. Thanks for posting this, it encourages me to see that it is important.
It really doesn’t take all that much time, expense or talent to make the world around you a better place. Kindness. Consideration. Politeness. Agreeableness. Gratitude. Stepping up when the moment requires it. Even a smile and looking someone in the eyes when passing them carries some weight.
Thank you, John. Great piece and a great reminder to everyone of how we can all help those in need, even at no to little cost or time.
This was great moral brain food on this Sunday. Thanks John.
I live in California but have roots in the Midwest.
In the Midwest town where most of my extended family is from and resides, the older married guy next door to the newly arrived colored hair, tattooed and pierced lesbian couple tell them directly that he does not approve of their life choices... but when one of the girls gets very sick, he mows their grass, clears the snow from their walkways and his wife brings them meals and drives them to appointments.
In my liberal college town, the liberal neighbor smiles and pleasantly chats about the weather with her neighbor owning the Ford F150 with a Trump 2020 bumper sticker sill attached. When she goes inside she tells her liberal college professor husband that she hopes he crashes his truck and dies, and that his wife dies of cancer and his kids are made orphans. He nods in approval.
WI guy myself, and that is my experience as well because I live near and attended UW-Madison, the "Berkeley of the Midwest." Can't talk and hear a lick of sense from most Madisonians, but get out into the small towns where the college professors don't go and you meet and talk with a lot of decent people who do live by the golden rule, instead of play acting a la virtue signaling.
Actually, I find that I do most of those things on the list because of the "golden rule." Especially now that I'm retired and not in such a rush. I'd like to think that other people would do the same things for me, and if it's Karma or good vibes it does seem to send out ripples that will come back. I find myself more generous with "gifts of service" than with cash because my wife encourages me not to spend our money, and it's not worth arguing with her about that. The old "Fixed income" excuse I guess. Thanks for posting this, it encourages me to see that it is important.
It's not about the money. Gifts of service work just as well as money -- and it is important. I really believe these kind of things make society work.
Ya just hit Easter on the head, Bunny. Those who support are 'fundamental'... :)