Day: March 16, 2020

         
I woke at 3 A.M. and 
looked out the window
Long shadows of the trees 
were laying on the ground
The moon was bright but out of sight 
from my vantage point

I looked up through and past 
the trees to see many constellations
I thought to myself 
how impressive it would be if
I could name each of 
the ones that I saw
It wouldn’t really mean anything, 
except that I could

There are people who could 
name not only them but
Others that could not be seen 
in the sky this early morning
There are also people who do not 
know the name of their neighbor

It would seem ironic to know 
the stars but not the people next door
Life as we know it 
is very much like that

We see many people on a regular basis 
but don’t know them
We say hello, have a nice day, 
the weather looks good, but
Do not even know their 
first name or who they are

Most of us are gregarious to some extent, 
but still absorbed with ourselves
Other people’s cares and concerns 
are not important to us

We do not think of these things 
when we encounter them
Everything we do or say is 
wrapped with our personal interests

When an emergency or crisis occurs 
things like this change
Suddenly it is important 
to be recognized and to recognize
Those we encounter and ourselves should 
have a mutual interest in our welfare

We feel our needs and wants 
exceed those of the ones helping us
Now and then we are broken from 
this selfish web of living
We wake to the fact that someone or 
others are in need of our help

No panic takes place, but a concerted, 
personal effort is present
We strive to the fullest degree 
to accomplish the task at hand
Bring comfort and a degree of importance 
to the one we are serving
In the end of this effort professionals 
usually take over and we are not needed

This leaves us with mixed feelings; 
one of being full and one of emptiness
We who have sidestepped involvement up to now 
suddenly feel lonely

That need to be of help has been awakened 
and now we want more
Things that were of importance to us 
seem empty and uninteresting
The desire to be involved in helping others 
and serving them well supersedes
All of the other petty and superfluous 
things we were doing

We have a new outlook on life and 
one that will bring great rewards
The sense of accomplishment is 
a basic need as is recognition
We have a feeling of belonging 
which is a key must have
Along with the opportunity 
to do things for others

We feel very secure as we 
gaze at the moon and stars and
Happy that we have neighbors to 
share our joys and concerns with
Sorry for what we have missed, but 
thankful for what we now have
 
Stanski
March 16, 2020 ^

There is much fear going around
You can see it on the faces of those about you
You can feel it in their body language
Anxiety accompanies fear, as often does rudeness
It is a time to be civil and loving

Churches are closed, but Almighty God is present
He is aware of our every move and intention
He is the light which will overcome all darkness
He is the source of our hope and trust
Caring for and thinking of others first is what we should be doing

You can never go wrong giving of yourself for others
Some, even many, are indifferent toward their fellow man
Their vile and crude behavior should not be an example for others
If we care, we should forgive the bad actions that take place
Greed is never acceptable and often karma rears its head in response

We are not looking for revenge however
We are all part of the whole of our community
There are going to be some suffering for various reasons
If we do not attend to those in crisis, who will?
What good is being all set if others are not okay?

Now is a good time to reflect on how we are living
We are basically a judgmental people
We seldom get to walk in other’s shoes
We are not aware of hardships or stressful conditions
We do not know the truth of their code of living

Many people are silent givers, helping in many ways
They are not seeking glory for what they do

What can we do and how can we find out about the needs?
First we should follow the advice of the medical teams
We may call leaders of various service groups and ask the questions
Many of these people know and can give answers

We must be patient in waiting until things get better
We may pray for those in need, asking God to keep them calm

Beyond ourselves there are many people suffering in this world
The locusts in several countries in eastern Africa are wiping out crops
People in Haiti are suffering from malnutrition and lack of water

Refugees from Nigeria are suffering starvation and many deaths daily
Thousands of Christians are murdered each year by Islamic terrorists
Severe weather has caused flooding and tornado damage

Problems exist everywhere, but we shall overcome
Help us Almighty Father, we pray
 
Stanski
March 15, 2020 ^