Getting High Helping Others, Fountains of Hope, An Envelope of Money, Paying it Forward

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

Good morning, happy Friday; you did it; you made it through another week of joy, happiness, and laughter.  Or maybe you had a week of anger, envy, and sadness; remember it is up to you to choose your thoughts, who’s to say what is good or bad?

I had a pleasant day yesterday; I did some teaching in the morning and then met some friends who are also clients for lunch. After that, I drove to Beautiful Parker City to see my parents and get my hair cut.  On my trip up north, I spoke with a good friend helping organize a gala for a local non-profit.  Fountains of Hope have a system that provides clean drinking water to areas of the world that have little or no clean water.  It’s a Christian-based group; if you have some extra cash and can help them improve the lives of others, please visit the website and give a little love. 

https://www.fountainsofhope.org/

His call was to see if my wife and I would be interested in attending the Gala.  I’m not a Gala type of guy, I used to be, I used to like to participate in things like that, but at my age, I prefer to stay home with my wife and relax.  But I know the value of those events and how important they are to raising money and connecting people.  So I donated four seats at a table and asked my friend to find four people that would like to attend but couldn’t afford the tickets. So I hope that whoever he chooses can make one connection that can improve their life.  There is a high one can get when giving to others.

 I arrived and got gas at the Old Parker Pantry, a place I worked for many years. After that, I took the side streets to my parents home remembering all the days I rode my bike on those streets and my affinity for the alleys. 

My friends and I would spend the day riding the alleyways looking for discarded items.  If we found something cool, we’d load it up and take it back to one of our homes, open it up, see the parts, and think radio’s, televisions, and appliances.  The alleys were full of treasure. 

I arrived at my mothers and father, sat with them for an hour, and caught up; they are helping a couple of young men in the community,  they shared their plight, it sounds like they are doing some good work, but at what point do you have to let someone help themselves?  

I headed to get a haircut; Melissa has cut my hair for 30 plus years; I only cheat on her when I’m in Colorado, and I can’t go another day without trimming my wig. So I entered, and there were some familiar faces; I got to see some old friends, and I heard a great story that aligns with my topic of altruism from yesterday.

One of the young women there shared a story about a time in her life when her husband had been laid off, she was working, but times were tough.  One day, a man showed up and handed her an envelope of money and said, this is for you. I know you can use it.  The young lady said she was stunned, refused the money, and said, “we’re ok?”  The man explained that when he first arrived in Beautiful Parker City, his son was born,  times were tough, and someone handed him an envelope of money and said I only ask that you return the favor one day.

The young woman took the money with the promise to pay it forward, and I can say that over the past few years, she has raised thousands of dollars for people in need. In a world that sometimes does not seem like a kind and humane place, good people are doing good things, but that is not the headlines you will read.

Instead, you will read about the rising gas prices, supply chain issues, and the falling poll numbers of the politicians in charge.  All true stories, and if you choose to focus on the negativity, I think you will lead a less than joyful life.  But at times like these, look for the micro-stories of kindness and humanity. Beautiful events are happening every day, but those events are not deemed newsworthy. I think for many, it might be time to change their lens of focus, focus on the good, the bad will eventually get fixed. 

Finally, I have a good friend; his name is Brandon.  He is not doing well; he’s struggling a little; I would ask you to join me and others in supporting him and his life journey.  Simply post or write Let’s Go Brandon, and I’m sure he will get the message.  Brandon is a kind young man that needs your support.  I appreciate any help you can provide.  Happy Friday, enjoy the weekend, and if you can, pay it forward.

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.