We may not be as rich or as talented as a Kennedy, but each of us can give back, can share what we have, can serve other people. We can help our friends and family, our fellow Christians, our neighbors, our city, our nation, and our world.
We owe a debt to those who have gone before us, setting an example and lighting the way. We owe a debt to those who have taught and shared with us to teach and share with others. And we owe a debt to those who come after us—to leave a good example for them to follow.
It's like the old hymn about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. One receives water and then passes it on and is full of life because of it. The other receives, but has no outlet. Choked with salt and sediment, it is incapable of supporting life.
It is good for us to give back, to share, to serve. It broadens our awareness beyond the world of people just like us. We come to know the beautiful variety of life and the wonderful examples of people who persevere and succeed despite not having all the advantages we do. We come to appreciate the indomitable human spirit and find inspiration to make our own lives better. We come to feel a sense of humility and satisfaction as we help other human beings more fully realize their potential.
It is good for the person we serve. It helps them get the help they need but may not be able to afford or know how to get.
It is good for our society. It sharpens all our skills and makes us more civil people. It’s apparent that our social discourse has coarsened and become less civil over the past few years. We all need to do what we can to reverse the trend, to control animosity, show respect for others and practice fairness by taking turns speaking and listening.
We can serve in many different ways—paid and unpaid—working through churches, schools, libraries, museums. Working with private and public agencies. Working in groups or as individuals. We can work with older people, poor people, teenagers, disabled people, incarcerated people, children—anybody who has a need that we can fill.
If we don't have money, we can give our time. If we don't have time, we can give our talents. If we don't have money, time or talents, we can give our concern and our prayers.
We may not be as rich or talented as a Kennedy, but if we live in the United States, we are rich. If we live, we have talents. We may be able to shoot a basket, or read a book or tell time or add figures or paint a picture or fix a car—anything we can do, we can show or teach someone else to do. They will be richer for the experience. And we will too.
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