Day # 179 - The Season Begins

In three more days it will be Thanksgiving. Most of us are shifting into day-off mode, "exercising" to stretch our bellies to make room for the delicacies we will enjoy on Thursday. We will gather with friends and family and we will give thanks. In many cases it will be a ritual, we pray because we're supposed to pray and we eat because it's good to eat. Then we go shopping and lose our humanity in that swirl of consumerism known as black Friday. Funny thing about the season: it gives us a chance to miss the point twice.

Potential Church, where my family and I attend service, ran a food drive in cooperation with the Miami Rescue Mission yesterday. We dropped off a couple of turkeys. It felt nice and empty to do it. Why empty? There's something just slightly off about donating food before National Pig-Out Day. I will eat better today, even if I'm not hungry, than most of the world will eat all week. I once read where someone wrote, "The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage can eats better than 90% of the world." Kinda makes you think.

The message in church yesterday was about the history and meaning of the Christmas Tree. The subtext dealt with helping those less fortunate. I have, recently, become a student of Ayn Rand and her philosophy of objectivism. Objectivism is the political philosophy of ego, or, every man for himself, basically. Now I find myself needing to reconcile Objectivism with Christianity. It's easier than you'd think: the better I do, the more good I can do.

The tough part here is the give a man a fish, teach a man to fish thing. Some people were never taught to fish, they've been given fish their whole lives. How to appeal to their egos, how to get them to learn to do what has been done for them for so long, is the greatest challenge there is. The transition is challenging, not impossible, but difficult, especially in this kind of economic environment, and during the time of year when charity is expected.

What are you going to do, not only during this season, but from here on out, to help make your country and your world a better place? Who will you teach to fish? What family will you help? Where will you volunteer? What will you do? Do something, and take your children with you. If you are blessed enough to give them Thanksgiving and Christmas, even modest ones, than you are doing better than so many out there. Service to your fellow man is the path to prosperity, to understanding, to joy, and yes, to heaven.

God bless you. Make it someone else's best day yet, as well as your own.

- Adolfo

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Day 166 - From Ambition to Meaning

Wayne Dyer calls it "The Shift," the time in your life when your focus shifts from ambition to meaning. It's a revelation of sorts. You stop caring so much about what you can have and start caring more about what you can give.

Of course, I still have ambition. I want to be great at what I do. I want to earn a living and my family will endure no hardship because of my shift. On the contrary, the more I focus on the welfare of others, the more God will bless my family. I have seen this working in my life and it will continue working in my life. The question now is one of degrees.

I don't care for the toys. I never really have, but I care less than ever. I don't want the nice cars, the boat, the summer home. None of it holds my interest anymore. I still want to see the world and have a nice dinner now and then, but I'll see it in my little car. Hold the Cadillac.

Abby and I sat up late last night talking and we both agreed: we've reached a point in our life where the only motivation to make lots of money is to give lots of money away. We aren't ready to give too much away yet, but we are working on it. We are getting our house in order so that it may serve the Lord, and all of humanity. Our legacy need not be an inheritance of money. Our legacy will be one of character. Our children will be able to say their parents made a difference.

Have you found your meaning? Have you decided what you will do to make the world better? I know you say you want to make the world a better place; everyone does. What everyone doesn't do is get to the business of doing it. Choose your passion and give a little bit of yourself or a little bit of your money to it. I am not talking about contributions to politicians if you have a passion for politics. In this area, I would recommend giving your time in order to build your sphere of influence. Volunteer to help kids learn to read. Sponsor a little league team, or coach one. Counsel teenage moms. Lock yourself in your room and pray.

The world needs you and your talents and your dreams. Don't let them go to waste. The time to start is now.

- Adolfo

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