I have friends (married couple) who either live near Kansas City, MO and winter near Edinburg, TX. or live there and summer here. Right now the only thing between them and Reynosa, Mexico is the river. I texted her a photo of last night’s snowfall. She thinks it is lovely. Keeping in touch, if not a necessity it is certainly a comfort. The little stretch of January thaw came and went and it is winter again. Streets are treacherous so not much to do other than set something out to thaw for lunch and be thankful I don’t live in a cardboard box under an Interstate overpass.
Two nights ago we (amigos) put ham & cheese (275) sandwiches together for homeless and food-insecure people in K.C.. By the time we put things away and cleaned up, those sandwiches were on their way to the distribution site (a park) not far away. By the time I got home the feeding was underway. The food is all donated but it takes hands to bridge between the source and the need. So we do that, every week.
I am not going to invite homeless strangers into my home or throw money at them but nobody should go ‘Hungry’. Missing a meal is one thing but ‘Hungry’ is another. Winter only cuts the wound a little deeper. I don’t think myself a bleeding heart but I care enough to put meat and cheese between slices of bread.
Everything I have to say today I have said before and I know my friends get tired of it. But I think it needs to be said and even more so, it needs to be heard. We are Super-Social animals. It means that without a highly functional network of contributing peers and cohorts, people perish, sooner than later. We need each other, not just for the feel-good company but to lean on when intelligence and industry are not enough. We all need to know what my mother never-ever said. She would have never said anything like, “There but for my own intelligence and good decisions go I.” She attributed everything good to the Grace of God and life was good at our house. Nobody ever had to share food or shelter us.
It would be very easy for me to criticize others who judge the wretched poor (bad decisions are self inflicted). I try not to do that. Any decision that involves any risk at all is neither good nor bad until it unfolds, too late to go back for a redo. With a clear eye I would default to my mother: but for the Grace of God.
Today will be cold, all day, and tonight even more so. But I am in a safe place and my lunch has thawed enough for me to put it on the stove. There will be football games on the tube and I can reach friends and family by text or telephone, even face time. I don’t have to shovel snow or even open the door today. My little life is probably better than I deserve. But I believe, I am convinced that none of us get what we deserve. We simply get what we get and do with it what feels right in the moment. If it turns out good we take credit; if not, we suffer the consequence and get the blame. Life isn’t fair, it never has been. I have quoted Lefty Gomez many times and this is a good time again. The NY Yankees, Hall of Fame pitcher said, "I would rather be lucky than good." Shit still happens. A good decision may not be good enough, turn to crap, deserved or otherwise.
Two nights ago we (amigos) put ham & cheese (275) sandwiches together for homeless and food-insecure people in K.C.. By the time we put things away and cleaned up, those sandwiches were on their way to the distribution site (a park) not far away. By the time I got home the feeding was underway. The food is all donated but it takes hands to bridge between the source and the need. So we do that, every week.
I am not going to invite homeless strangers into my home or throw money at them but nobody should go ‘Hungry’. Missing a meal is one thing but ‘Hungry’ is another. Winter only cuts the wound a little deeper. I don’t think myself a bleeding heart but I care enough to put meat and cheese between slices of bread.
Everything I have to say today I have said before and I know my friends get tired of it. But I think it needs to be said and even more so, it needs to be heard. We are Super-Social animals. It means that without a highly functional network of contributing peers and cohorts, people perish, sooner than later. We need each other, not just for the feel-good company but to lean on when intelligence and industry are not enough. We all need to know what my mother never-ever said. She would have never said anything like, “There but for my own intelligence and good decisions go I.” She attributed everything good to the Grace of God and life was good at our house. Nobody ever had to share food or shelter us.
It would be very easy for me to criticize others who judge the wretched poor (bad decisions are self inflicted). I try not to do that. Any decision that involves any risk at all is neither good nor bad until it unfolds, too late to go back for a redo. With a clear eye I would default to my mother: but for the Grace of God.
Today will be cold, all day, and tonight even more so. But I am in a safe place and my lunch has thawed enough for me to put it on the stove. There will be football games on the tube and I can reach friends and family by text or telephone, even face time. I don’t have to shovel snow or even open the door today. My little life is probably better than I deserve. But I believe, I am convinced that none of us get what we deserve. We simply get what we get and do with it what feels right in the moment. If it turns out good we take credit; if not, we suffer the consequence and get the blame. Life isn’t fair, it never has been. I have quoted Lefty Gomez many times and this is a good time again. The NY Yankees, Hall of Fame pitcher said, "I would rather be lucky than good." Shit still happens. A good decision may not be good enough, turn to crap, deserved or otherwise.
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