Goodness inside any organization is always within reach. And, sadly, so are misdeeds. I often worry whether last year’s race riots in Charlottesville, Va., and other forms of harassment “isms” will lead to more divisiveness elsewhere. These distractions should inspire us to engage in active benevolence in circles where we wield the greatest influence.
Last fall, at a religious service, I was moved by some of the worshipper’s anxiety over the indifference over how poorly Americans treat each other. On Thanksgiving Day, I carried out a deliberate act of charity by volunteering in a New York City soup kitchen.
The organizers laid out an impressive holiday spread to hundreds of homeless and needy people looking for a place to eat for a couple of hours. Most fittingly, Trinity Church, the rugged icon that sheltered the 9/11 relief crews, hosted this diverse crowd of people.
Although I played a bit role greeting Chinese immigrants who barely spoke English, hanging coats for the well-heeled drag queens, and stowing the suitcase of a wayward man with a memorable scent of vinegar, I was swept by the festivities.
I earn a decent living and freely admit that I should give more. But on Thanksgiving, I belonged to an interfaith gathering, consisting of Christians, Jews and Muslims. Ironically, our faiths pulled off a selfless feat without calling much attention to ourselves. The consequences were energizing.
A paralegal who lives from pay check to the next, expressed her gratitude for having a warm place to eat in the company of chatty strangers. For five hours, givers and receivers came together for their own reasons, but I assure you that no one seemed visibly apart except for the lone pianist who was content to bang out a string of Elton John songs.
Active volunteerism or giving beyond ourselves is obviously no novel deed. But I argue that the universal act of goodness continually evolves.
Pope Francis advised that it is OK to give panhandlers money even if that person used it to buy alcohol. Many news outlets including The New York Times picked up on the Pope’s reasoning that if the most fortunate people can buy happiness, why should they deprive the lesser fortunate theirs? But unrestricted monetary contributions are beside the point says the Pope. Consider a richer currency by extending someone dignity though physical contact and acknowledgement. Pope Francis encourages compassion to everybody, no matter their “pathology or social condition.”
One evening, a panhandler intercepted me in a tony section of Greenwich Village asking for a handout. Unbeknownst to him, I had just paid $135 for myself at an upscale restaurant. We made eye contact, and he trailed me to a nearby pizza truck where I bought him a slice and a soda for what he thought was a humanizing moment. For me, I felt shame when he was the first to extend his hand for my trivial gesture.
This brief encounter haunted me about the rare times at work when my conduct bordered on invisible bias because I let my interactions to become influenced by my counterparts’ skin color, sexual orientation, body shape or personality.
Other religious leaders like Rabbi Darren Levine, posits Positive Judaism. His vision calls for the theory and applied practice “within a Jewish framework that expands the mind, deepens personal character, strengthens community, improves the world, and adds joy and optimism to everyday living.” This golden rule applies to the auto care industry’s straight, gay, white-collar, blue-collar and pink-collar rank-and-file who are interrelated as the interdependent components inside a Dodge Ram Truck.
In holding true with “love your neighbor as yourself,” ponder the positive global effects it will yield when one good deed begets another – in terms of well-being and productivity. Whether supporting the community or an individual, leave it to yourself to follow your heart.
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