What's Wrong With this World?
Wow. And this brings me to my subject. What is happening to the world? A few weeks ago my husband and I were at Kmart. We had to pick up one of those inflatable beds for Thanksgiving company. As we were leaving the parking lot, the car stopped near a lone form sitting on the curb in the middle of the cold lot. It was a man, probably in his twenties, crouching and huddling to stay warm. His hat was pulled down far enough, and his head hung low enough, that it was difficult to see his face--and it seemed he preferred it that way.
As Bill approached him, he looked up. His expression was, at the same time, conveying both hopelessness and what now? My husband is a kind man. He crouched down and put his hand on the man’s shoulder. Looking into his face, he said something. Luke and I just watched from the car. “Is that a boy with no house and no food,” my little son asked me. (We talk to him about people who don’t have what they need, and we encourage him to help and pray for them.) “Is Daddy going to help him?”
With his hand still on the man’s shoulder, it became obvious that they were praying together. Bill then handed him a small piece of green paper and bid him goodbye. I now look for him whenever we are in that part of town. I haven’t seen him since, and I can only imagine where he might be.
Thinking about him, I have wondered what brought him to that place of need and hopelessness. I considered my own need and hopelessness. I have experienced my own brand of these in my lifetime. After careful examination, I realized one thing. It may have been his own actions, the actions of someone else, or a combination of both. But, undoubtedly, this man suffers because someone acted irresponsibly toward him. I can’t think of any human suffering, other than mourning, that does not come about in this way. A seeming oversimplification, but true I believe. There were those people who were given the duty/privilege of caring for him when he was young. Something happened. No one stepped in. Or perhaps his mother and father were perfectly nurturing, and he was unkind to himself. Only God knows his story.
I heard Dr. Phil say This ain’t the world your mama told you about. It’s true. And our current methods are not working. In one lifetime we go from a world where a home can be bought on a word to a world where young men with no hope can be found sitting on curbs in any given city. If that’s not running ourselves into a ditch, I don’t know what is. So, when does it all stop? It seems to me that the damage can never be fixed. Long ago, uncaring, selfish people were not the norm. Today they are the norm. Many would be offended by that statement. Many uncaring and selfish think themselves to be the community’s finest. These include those who coldly evict families from their homes believing, It’s just business. These include physicians with year-round gardeners who would sooner ruin a person’s credit than forgive a $100 bill. These include people who drive by a neighbor walking home in the rain, not offering a ride. These include people who do not hold open a door for an elderly person. Personally, I’m disgusted. I’m disgusted by what has become the norm. I believe we need to change it. I know that there are people trying to change today’s normal, and I would encourage others to do so. Perhaps, if enough of us try, the world will be a kinder place for our children’s children’s children.
I am dedicating this little commentary to my sister-in-law, Kim. She is more a sister than an in-law. I am not yet at a point in my life where I can write about it, but I had some debilitating health issues a few years ago. Kim dropped everything. (Note that she has her own family, work, responsibilities, as well as having overcome malignant melanoma.) She drove across several states to care for me and my family. For weeks, she virtually ran my household, making sure that everyone’s needs were met. Her selfless gift enabled my husband to continue working at that time, it enabled my children to feel stability at an unstable time, and it pulled me through a terrifying time in my life. I will never stop being grateful for the chunk of her life that she carved out and gave to me. It was greater than any wrapped present or monetary gift. Thank you, Kim. I am so grateful to you and I love you.
What I heard back from Kim: "That is so touching. Thank you. You are welcome and I love you. Would it be terrible if I dedicate your entry to your mom (our mom), Wanda Karol Sekulski, who dropped everything for me when I needed her? I don't really feel like I did that much but it was a joy to be with you in your time of need."
