People always ask…
“How do you do it?”
They’re referring to my busy volunteer schedule.
I volunteer. A lot. Maybe too much.
Over the winter, I stepped in to lend a hand coaching my son Bernie’s basketball team. I teach CCD on Sunday mornings at my church. On Monday night’s I help out at the church bingo. This past month I helped facilitate a mental health group on Wednesday evenings. On Thursday night’s I help lead my son’s scout den. This spring, I picked up helping to coach his flag football team, which practices two nights a week and plays games on Sunday afternoon.
This past week I came across a quote, however, that helped remind me why I do what I do and keep things in perspective.
“Greed is wanting the benefits of community without contributing to it,” was a quote I read from James Clear, author of the book Atomic Habits.
I’ve seen way too many people and too many parents, do things only for their benefit, or the benefit of their kids.
I never want to be like that.
As a boy growing up without a father, I was blessed to have a number of men do things for me that they didn’t have to do. Whether it was coaching sports teams, taking me to Mets games, or driving me to practices.
I hope their kindness has paid off in what I try to give back to my community, and hopefully, my kindness will payoff in time too.
The director of our religious education program always reminds us teachers that we’re just planting seeds, just like the sower in the Bible story.
“Just keep planting those seeds,” she says.
Podcast I’m Listening To
This past week, I was listening to Bad On Paper podcast, which featured the author Carley Fortune. As part of her 3 Things segment, she mentioned an episode of the Search Engine podcast she was listening to dealing with the topic: is there a sane way to use the internet?
It’s a big conversation these days, especially with the role of social media in our lives, its impact on our mental health, and especially with our children’s mental health.
Men On Pause
One of the funniest posts I’ve read on Substack is
by !Her piece about How Men Flirt had me rolling, especially the section titled: AUTOBAHN FIELD GUIDE FOR NORTH AMERICAN OVER-50 BACHELORS & THEIR MATING CALLS.
The piece details each of the men’s habitats, mating season, mating call, and ideal mate.
If you’re a single woman, or even a married woman, you’ll no doubt enjoy this.
The Women
I recently finished The Women, a novel by Kristen Hannah that revolves around a young woman named Frances McGrath, who volunteers to serve her country as an Army nurse in Vietnam.
There’s some fantastic aspects to the story that makes it a little hard to swallow, but it’s a touching tribute to the men and women who served in that war, and their families.
It’s only in the last few years that Vietnam vets seem to be getting the love, honor and respect they so deserved.
This book helps open up some of the struggles returning soldiers dealt with, from being spit at, to struggling with post traumatic stress disorders.
According to the National Archives1, 58,220 service members died during the Vietnam War, including a whopping 16,899 in 1968 alone. Of those deaths, 8 were women, who were all nurses.
Something to remember as we look ahead to celebrating Memorial Day later this month.
Playlists on Spotify
As always, don’t forget to checkout my own curated playlists I’ve created on Spotify.
It’s patio season here in Northeast Pennsylvania. That means you need music to help set the atmosphere while slugging your fresh brewed iced tea, tasty margarita, or low-calorie beer. Below is my most current playlist I’ve been putting together for Spring.
Be sure to check it out:
Give Me Your Feedback:
Let me know what you think about any of the topics mentioned above. Agree? Disagree? Let me hear it. Have a story idea of your own? Let me know. As always, pressing the heart icon is appreciated, and be sure to share this with others to help spread the word.
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics
Thank you Brian!