It has probably been a week now since I published the podcast and Vlog on this topic. That is one reason I really suggest that you listen/watch those along with reading this article. I do not have a script that I follow and, due to the time that has gone by, there will definitely be some different and/or additional thoughts on this topic that you won't get by just accessing this topic via one channel.
This thought all came about from what I witnessed one day a little over a week ago. Sure, I'm used to seeing people with signs asking for donations standing by the entrance/exit to one particular store that I go to at least once a week. However, on this particular day, I exited this store by a different way and found a guy holding up a sign that said, "EMERGENCY" across the top with an elderly person wrapped up in blankets and in a wheelchair a few feet away. I slowed down for a moment thinking that this might be a real emergency and then read the rest of his sign, "Cancer Co-Payment Needed".
Others - including my wife - told me that they have seen this same guy with the same "EMERGENCY" word scribbled at the top of a sign but with different "needs" addressed on the rest of the sign. One thing I thought was, "If this was a REAL emergency, I think he would likely find other ways to try to raise the money besides standing where he was holding up a sign".
One thing I thought was that he might even try one of those "YOU Fund Me" approaches that I see others use so often. (Now, obviously, I have changed the name of one particular source, but I think you get the idea).
Long story short, I went to the main page of this "YOU Fund Me" group and read several "success stories" of some that had used this approach and I became a bit frustrated.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, I do know and understand that, at times, this is a valuable tool to help with certain needs.
However, I noticed many that featured people that received this type of funding for things that weren't necessities but, rather, "wants". Yes, they may have been "noble" or even "honest" but they were things that people used to accept the responsibility of raising the wanted funds themselves.
For example, one "success story" featured a young lady that had received funding to further her education while another featured a young man that belonged to an organization of "scouts" that had received funding for a particular project that he needed to do with this organization. Both of these situations are "desires" or "wants" and not necessities. No, higher education is not a "right" or even an absolute necessity. It is a desire - yes, a "noble" or worthy desire - but, again, one that people used to do whatever they had to do to accomplish the funding of that desire.
WHY?
This mentality and approach is killing our society in the United States of America and, it doesn't matter where you are from, it will kill your society as well if allowed to take root in the mindset of it's people.
This goes along closely with one of my recent articles, "Water Your Own Grass". If you've not read it yet, take the time to do so.
Yes, we are here to help each other along the way but, friend, we MUST NOT expect others to take care of things for us in our own lives that we can - and should - take care of ourselves.
We need to teach the RESPECT and PRIDE to our children that comes in putting in the effort that it takes to ACHIEVE these things on our own even though, at times, it may be difficult.
Again, please take the time to listen and/or watch the podcast and/or Vlog (links below) on this topic for much more discussion.
There is a sense of accomplishment that is being neglected when we look to others to fulfill our efforts for things that we want in our lives and, yes, even those things that we need.
Think about it and, until next time, be sure to...
Yes, we are here to help each other along the way but, friend, we MUST NOT expect others to take care of things for us in our own lives that we can - and should - take care of ourselves.
We need to teach the RESPECT and PRIDE to our children that comes in putting in the effort that it takes to ACHIEVE these things on our own even though, at times, it may be difficult.
Again, please take the time to listen and/or watch the podcast and/or Vlog (links below) on this topic for much more discussion.
There is a sense of accomplishment that is being neglected when we look to others to fulfill our efforts for things that we want in our lives and, yes, even those things that we need.
Think about it and, until next time, be sure to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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