There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, that’s for sure! News media shouts it from the hilltops. Social media… well sometimes I wonder if some folks have anything good in their lives at all. Recently, someone was chatting with me about some stressful challenges we were both facing. I heard myself say, “Well, I still have some good things to do here.” I’ve been thinking about my own words a bit today as we celebrate in communities all across the country.
What if I spent more time preparing food for kids going home from school on Fridays to hungry homes in my community than I do complaining about whether income tax changes favor one group or another.
What if I ensure that I fairly consider immigrants for job openings and assist with their path to citizenship rather than fighting about differences of opinion on undocumented guests in this country?
What if I spend more time investing in the youth around me, listening and supporting, and less time protesting symptomatic causes for school violence?
What if I focused more on how I could give in my community and less on what I expect to get from my government?
What if my goal was to be the best at what I do rather than making sure I do no more than others around me?
What if I pick up trash in the ditches on my community’s streets rather than trashing people or companies who are still learning about caring for our world?
What if I speak more words of affirmation and thanks to my work team members than I do words of criticism and negativity?
What if I share more compliments with my wife than insignificant irritations?
What if I spend more time on my knees in prayer and less time complaining about the faults around me?
What if I did? What if you did? What if we all did? What would our communities be like? Our schools, our churches, our workplaces? What would America be like?
God Bless America! and God bless us when we work and speak for good, uniting those efforts and voices to truly make our own communities and our very own country great!