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On The Bricks

January 15, 2018

There are some really thought provoking quotes that remind me of people or events and when I take a moment to think about them, they just make the whole world seem nicer and more lovable.

Aesop is credited with saying, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

See, you read those words and you know that every single day you can do this. It doesn’t take money, it doesn’t have to take much time, and it doesn’t take being very smart. You just be nice to someone.

Sometimes I read facebook posts. And during one of those brainless moments of reading, I read one where one of my friends asked others to tell about a time when someone was kind to them and they really appreciated it. When I read that, I thought it could be fun to read these comments and proceeded to move down the post. The first post was from a friend of mine who I worked with when I was at the Tourism Department out of Oklahoma City.

Stacy wrote how she had taken a new job and moved to a new town right before her birthday. She had a friend who contacted people in the new town and told them about Stacy and asked them to take a moment to tell her happy birthday that day. She had people call and come by that day, one of the first in her new job, and wish her well. She said it was Melyn Johnson that did that.

You know, I don’t remember anything about any of this, but it does sound like something I would do. I probably emailed my contacts in that town, who also shared, and what took me about three minutes many years later I am getting all this credit for. We never know how much of an impression we make. And when we work together it can be so good.

Such small acts mean so much. I recently went into Dizzy B’s and Lowell handed me one of those new Hershey’s Gold bars, peanuts and pretzels, and told me to try it because it was so good. Was he ever right! Delicious. And, no, he didn’t let me pay for it. How nice was that? I smiled for ages just remembering.

Ghandi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

All you need to do to remind yourself that life isn’t so bad is to start helping others who have a harder time. And there are many who have fights that we can’t even imagine. Jim Norris is one who really makes the truth of this statement come out. Needing a liver transplant and yet he doesn’t let this keep him from working for the community. He is on several boards, he is the one who spearheads the Veterans Banner program and he also works one several other community projects. That takes strength.

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” Elizabeth Andrew said and she was so right. When Coach Keith Schulz stepped up and made the Special Game Day happen where the OPSU Baseball Team had a day for kids, including special needs kids, to play baseball and feel the thrill of being on the field and having the crowd yelling for them with their family watch them, he was my hero. He understood the time it would take and that it was worth it, for the baseball team to appreciate what they had and to share it, and for the families and kids that participated to know that they all matter. And Coach Keith stepped in with a smile and a can – do attitude and did it. It wasn’t about what they would get, but what they could give. I love him for it. There were so many others who stepped in to help and I love them for that, too, but we couldn’t have done it without the baseball team.

Volunteers are not paid. Not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.

Are you wanting to start volunteering? If you want to talk about it, give me a call at 338-6246. There might well be an entity (maybe even Main Street Guymon) that needs some help once in awhile and it might be the perfect fit for you!

See you on the bricks!