This year during my after school program a group of kindergarten kids were waiting for the class to start. They were having snack and one child was sitting with four of his friends. He had three Oreos as a snack. He was sitting with two kids who didn't have snack and he offered each of his friends an Oreo. They both happily took it. A few seconds later, another friend sat down. Mentioned he forgot his snack and the child broke his Oreo in half and gave it to this friend. He then at his half, while two of his friends ate whole Oreos and his other friend shared his. I smiled.
The first two kids didn't ask for Oreos. They just mentioned they didn't have snack. His third friend did the same. This giving child didn't need to be told or even asked to be kind, he did it based on how he was raised in his first five years of life. He sacrificed his own pleasure and nourishment for the sake of his friends. I walked over to the child during the class and asked him about what had happened. He said "I didn't really NEED three Oreos. I had lunch three hours ago and they didn't have a snack. I felt bad." I smiled.
It's human nature, if we're brought up correctly, to care for our fellow man. Especially our friends. This kid is aware, at five, what so many of us have already forgotten. We live in a dog-eat-dog world and the mission is to get ahead. To have a bigger house, a better car, a prettier husband or wife. Somehow the important things, like education, ethics, morals and standards have fallen by the way side as we pursuit our materialistic dreams. When I thought about a five-year-old not being jaded by his unknown power, well, I smiled.
Yesterday the health care reform, known as Obamocare or the Affordable Care Act, was passed by the Supreme Court. Whether it is deemed a tax is unimportant to me. What is important is that five of nine justices saw that caring for others is as important as caring for one's self. Sadly, what makes this news, is that not only did four people disagree, but we have half a nation that disagrees. What happens between being a caring five-year-old, willing to sacrifice one's own belongings for the health and happiness of a friend and the thoughts of an adult, who only wants what's best for him. I got angry yesterday as people attacked the ruling and my thoughts. I thought about that kid a lot yesterday. I smiled.
A few weeks ago, I looked in my bank account. I had literally what amounts to a weekly paycheck to my name. I have credit card debt, student loans, some back taxes and my monthly bills due. I also have some hospital bills due and I'm not sure what is covered. My debts are close to $100,000. I don't have a house, I have a studio apartment. I am currently feeling the burden of this awful economy. I have been feeling it for 12 years now. Unable to get above water. I sat, eating an English Muffin and drinking a cup of coffee. I read an e-mail and I thought. I clicked on the link, as I do almost monthly and I donated $10 to a charity that feeds deserving children in NY. More than 1% of my paltry bank account. I did it without thinking. I didn't think about what I could do with that ten dollars. I didn't judge those who would receive this benefit. I thought about the child who might be handed a bowl of cereal and an apple. He didn't ask for it, it was offered to him, because he's a human being, just like me. No better or worse. Who am I to judge or question. Why at 41 am I any different than that five-year-old who gave because he wanted to, not because he had to. He saw someone in need and did for them, what they couldn't do for themselves. Maybe we should all revert back to five-years-old when we make decisions about others lives. Sharing. Taking turns. Saying please and thank you. Making sure your friend is OK when he falls. A child fell a few months ago and bumped his head. He lay in the middle of the gymnasium floor. He was hurt and crying. The other 15 kids all stopped playing and ran over. At some point during the 30 second he lay on the floor, each child put their hand on him and asked if he was OK. They all offered to get the nurse. I smiled.
Would any of us do this for a stranger in need? Think about it. Tell me you can still smile?
The first two kids didn't ask for Oreos. They just mentioned they didn't have snack. His third friend did the same. This giving child didn't need to be told or even asked to be kind, he did it based on how he was raised in his first five years of life. He sacrificed his own pleasure and nourishment for the sake of his friends. I walked over to the child during the class and asked him about what had happened. He said "I didn't really NEED three Oreos. I had lunch three hours ago and they didn't have a snack. I felt bad." I smiled.
It's human nature, if we're brought up correctly, to care for our fellow man. Especially our friends. This kid is aware, at five, what so many of us have already forgotten. We live in a dog-eat-dog world and the mission is to get ahead. To have a bigger house, a better car, a prettier husband or wife. Somehow the important things, like education, ethics, morals and standards have fallen by the way side as we pursuit our materialistic dreams. When I thought about a five-year-old not being jaded by his unknown power, well, I smiled.
Yesterday the health care reform, known as Obamocare or the Affordable Care Act, was passed by the Supreme Court. Whether it is deemed a tax is unimportant to me. What is important is that five of nine justices saw that caring for others is as important as caring for one's self. Sadly, what makes this news, is that not only did four people disagree, but we have half a nation that disagrees. What happens between being a caring five-year-old, willing to sacrifice one's own belongings for the health and happiness of a friend and the thoughts of an adult, who only wants what's best for him. I got angry yesterday as people attacked the ruling and my thoughts. I thought about that kid a lot yesterday. I smiled.
A few weeks ago, I looked in my bank account. I had literally what amounts to a weekly paycheck to my name. I have credit card debt, student loans, some back taxes and my monthly bills due. I also have some hospital bills due and I'm not sure what is covered. My debts are close to $100,000. I don't have a house, I have a studio apartment. I am currently feeling the burden of this awful economy. I have been feeling it for 12 years now. Unable to get above water. I sat, eating an English Muffin and drinking a cup of coffee. I read an e-mail and I thought. I clicked on the link, as I do almost monthly and I donated $10 to a charity that feeds deserving children in NY. More than 1% of my paltry bank account. I did it without thinking. I didn't think about what I could do with that ten dollars. I didn't judge those who would receive this benefit. I thought about the child who might be handed a bowl of cereal and an apple. He didn't ask for it, it was offered to him, because he's a human being, just like me. No better or worse. Who am I to judge or question. Why at 41 am I any different than that five-year-old who gave because he wanted to, not because he had to. He saw someone in need and did for them, what they couldn't do for themselves. Maybe we should all revert back to five-years-old when we make decisions about others lives. Sharing. Taking turns. Saying please and thank you. Making sure your friend is OK when he falls. A child fell a few months ago and bumped his head. He lay in the middle of the gymnasium floor. He was hurt and crying. The other 15 kids all stopped playing and ran over. At some point during the 30 second he lay on the floor, each child put their hand on him and asked if he was OK. They all offered to get the nurse. I smiled.
Would any of us do this for a stranger in need? Think about it. Tell me you can still smile?
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