On Using Your Resources to Give Back and Pay It Forward...continued...
Let's continue our discussion about using your resources to give back or pay it forward. We've established that this really isn't an option for us depending on how generous we happen to feel; rather it's an obligation. But the fact that we have a duty to give back and/or pay it forward does not mean we grit our teeth and reluctantly fulfill that obligation. Parting with a few nickles and pushing ourselves sometimes reluctantly to serve on Boards or do volunteer work is better than doing nothing, I suppose. Much better, though to do so with a generous heart and sincere charitable intent. Recently, I had an experience that illustrates the contrast between reluctant fulfillment of an obligation, and doing so with a generous heart.
I'm on a board that requires attendance at quarterly meetings that last for two days. It typically takes about six hours of travel time each way to to get to and from the meetings - assuming no flight delays (so common these days). It's a non-profit board so I'm not compensated. In addition, it's what's known as a "working" board, which means members are given assignments that sometimes require spending time between board meetings to complete those assignments. Therefore meetings frequently require advance planning and preparation, in addition to the travel.
Since the cause is a worthy one, attending meetings, while somewhat taxing, has it's own reward: advancing the mission of a fine institution. But last time I did find myself somewhat reluctantly dragging my butt to these particular meetings. The cause of my reluctance was likely the extraordinarily busy schedule I've had lately, along with a particularly rigorous exercise program with which I'm currently engaged. Most days find me pretty spent. So I wasn't looking forward to the travel and the time taken away from my home, by business and my daily routine. Add to this hurricane Irma, which was going to require my spending a chunk of time at night performing some additional back-ups of data provided by one of our business partners that happened to be in the cross-hairs of hurricane Irma. They had warned us they might be out of commission for a spell, depending on the impact of the storm.
Of course, I prayed about this. I recognized my reluctance and asked for the strength to fulfill my obligation, as well as the grace to do so with with a generous heart and a cheerful demeanor. I'm pretty certain God did His part; however I'm not so sure about my end. While I always feel at least a modicum of satisfaction when I can give back and/or pay it forward, frankly, I had been feeling mostly pressed, barely holding on until it was time to head home.
Nevertheless, on the flight home, after a few minutes on my laptop trying to "do something," something else told me to just kick back, plug in my earbuds, and listen to some music, rather than push to get "whatever" it was I felt compelled to do: it could wait. With that surprisingly wise decision, things started looking up. It occurred to me that the weather was perfect the entire trip; the flights were on time - early actually - and as smooth as could be. While the planes were pretty crowded, the flight crew and passengers were exceptionally pleasant and cooperative. Even check-ins were quick and uneventful; the TSA agents friendly; one even smiling and commenting favorably on my blue Sam Adams shirt.
Imbibing these relaxed and pleasant thoughts and feelings with my cranberry juice on ice, I checked out my window and saw a sight that always somehow lifts my spirits: New York City as you approach LaGuardia Airport from the south. For some it might have been just one more glimpse at the city's skyline, but it was two days before the anniversary of 9/11. Visions of that black day vied for a few moments with the bright blue afternoon skies. Then, in a flash, the blue skies prevailed, at which point I did something I had never done before. I grabbed my phone and snapped some photos of that skyline as our plane smoothly sailed past.
There was New York harbor...
Then the southern tip of the island of Manhattan (lower right) where the Hudson River meets New York Harbor, once enveloped in billowing smoke on 9/11, now refreshed, restored, and rather peaceful...
A bit farther north and the great midtown view that never tires the eyes and lifts the heart. See the Empire State building?
As our plane descended, gratitude swept over my previously pressed and stretched mind and body. While I rarely think this way, the thought did occur to me that God was giving me this favorite visual of the city as a kind of gift, maybe as a way to tell me that the trip was all good. And now I'd soon be home with my wife and family.
Little gifts like that can serve to remind us to keep it up: Give back and pay it forward.
I'm on a board that requires attendance at quarterly meetings that last for two days. It typically takes about six hours of travel time each way to to get to and from the meetings - assuming no flight delays (so common these days). It's a non-profit board so I'm not compensated. In addition, it's what's known as a "working" board, which means members are given assignments that sometimes require spending time between board meetings to complete those assignments. Therefore meetings frequently require advance planning and preparation, in addition to the travel.
Since the cause is a worthy one, attending meetings, while somewhat taxing, has it's own reward: advancing the mission of a fine institution. But last time I did find myself somewhat reluctantly dragging my butt to these particular meetings. The cause of my reluctance was likely the extraordinarily busy schedule I've had lately, along with a particularly rigorous exercise program with which I'm currently engaged. Most days find me pretty spent. So I wasn't looking forward to the travel and the time taken away from my home, by business and my daily routine. Add to this hurricane Irma, which was going to require my spending a chunk of time at night performing some additional back-ups of data provided by one of our business partners that happened to be in the cross-hairs of hurricane Irma. They had warned us they might be out of commission for a spell, depending on the impact of the storm.
Of course, I prayed about this. I recognized my reluctance and asked for the strength to fulfill my obligation, as well as the grace to do so with with a generous heart and a cheerful demeanor. I'm pretty certain God did His part; however I'm not so sure about my end. While I always feel at least a modicum of satisfaction when I can give back and/or pay it forward, frankly, I had been feeling mostly pressed, barely holding on until it was time to head home.
Nevertheless, on the flight home, after a few minutes on my laptop trying to "do something," something else told me to just kick back, plug in my earbuds, and listen to some music, rather than push to get "whatever" it was I felt compelled to do: it could wait. With that surprisingly wise decision, things started looking up. It occurred to me that the weather was perfect the entire trip; the flights were on time - early actually - and as smooth as could be. While the planes were pretty crowded, the flight crew and passengers were exceptionally pleasant and cooperative. Even check-ins were quick and uneventful; the TSA agents friendly; one even smiling and commenting favorably on my blue Sam Adams shirt.
Imbibing these relaxed and pleasant thoughts and feelings with my cranberry juice on ice, I checked out my window and saw a sight that always somehow lifts my spirits: New York City as you approach LaGuardia Airport from the south. For some it might have been just one more glimpse at the city's skyline, but it was two days before the anniversary of 9/11. Visions of that black day vied for a few moments with the bright blue afternoon skies. Then, in a flash, the blue skies prevailed, at which point I did something I had never done before. I grabbed my phone and snapped some photos of that skyline as our plane smoothly sailed past.
There was New York harbor...
Then the southern tip of the island of Manhattan (lower right) where the Hudson River meets New York Harbor, once enveloped in billowing smoke on 9/11, now refreshed, restored, and rather peaceful...
A bit farther north and the great midtown view that never tires the eyes and lifts the heart. See the Empire State building?
As our plane descended, gratitude swept over my previously pressed and stretched mind and body. While I rarely think this way, the thought did occur to me that God was giving me this favorite visual of the city as a kind of gift, maybe as a way to tell me that the trip was all good. And now I'd soon be home with my wife and family.
Little gifts like that can serve to remind us to keep it up: Give back and pay it forward.
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