A matter of conscience......

I like to tell myself that if I were rich, nobody but my closest friends would know.  You wouldn't be able to tell I was rich by the clothes I wore, or the car I drove, or the house I lived in.  I like to think that none of these things would change much at all.  I already have all the clothes I need; my car does a fine job of getting me from here to there (which is really the only function of a car); and my house has served me just fine for over 10 years (although.... I might consider adding on a garage!)

I like to tell myself that if I were rich, the only thing that would change would be the lives people around me in need.  I would be able to help Dadou get his teeth attended to so he didn't have to suffer with tooth pain every day; I would help Mahnin pay off the debt she owes so that she could run her business and feed her family without having to work 7 days a week just to keep her nose above water; I would pay the bail to get Eli out of prison so this young, falsely accused 14-year old wouldn't have to set in a Haitian prison with adult men who abuse him daily; I would help fund my sister's school for under-privileged, high-achieving young people so it wouldn't have to close its doors; I would send money for food down to the retirement home in Marfranc so its elderly residents wouldn't have to go to bed with the pang of hunger gnawing at their insides; I would pay school tuition for several of my young friends in Haiti so they could get an education instead of wander the streets during the day.  And there are lots of other things I would do too...... but what's the point in listing them all here? 

I may not be "rich" but I certainly have more than I need and can at least do one or two small things.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to be aware of what I can do for others.  Maybe, if I can't give money, I can give time? 

Yes, I think I need to be about the business of helping my fellow human-beings whenever I can......