Have I??

Blog post #427 of 365

When I was young there was a song I sung in Sunday school that has always felt important to me. It is called 'Have I done any good in the world today?' It goes something like this: Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad? If not I have failed indeed. It goes on to ask if I have lightened a burden, helped the sick or weary and finally asks if I was there when my help was needed. I have wondered if it was the influence of this song that spurred me to become a volunteer. And whether my children became volunteers because of the work we did as a family? I know it was perhaps an influence. Our family worked really hard sometimes but we also had a blast most of the time.

I see kids saying they are bored. They have nothing fun to do. Well who said work can't be fun? Do they know that being a part of the bigger picture is what really defines us.

I'm not saying there aren't benefits to having fun for the sake of fun but there is more satisfaction in having fun while being productive. Think Huck Finn here. He talked everyone into helping him paint a fence by making them believe it was fun. The truth is it can be fun painting a fence, covering graffiti, beautifying a community blight, repainting playground equipment at a park or school. There is so many things that can bring joy to others by putting in just a tiny bit of effort.

I was watching a movie the other day, Ride Along, where one of the characters was looked down on by another because he spent a great deal of time playing video games. When in fact he knew about weapons and the origins of weapons from playing the game. Now I'm not sure how much of that one can use in the real world I'm just saying there can be benefits to all things we do. Not letting 'fun' consume us is key.

When I was young if I said I was bored my parents or grandparents would 'find something' for us to do. This usually involved chores of some kind. Actually I didn't mind too much because if I said I was bored I was really honestly bored.

Our next generation, in my opinion, is overbooked, over worked or neglected. Some will take offence. Go ahead you are entitled to your opinion too. The overbooked and over worked kid's nights and weekends are filled with practice for ball, dance, gymnastics, martial arts etc. I think a little of that is cool but not so much that there isn't time to give back. Then there are the neglected kids. By neglected kids I mean the ones who have a single parent or two working parents who haven't got the time or means to add activities like dance, sports, etc. But these parents come home beaten emotionally and physically by the job and find little time to do more than sit down for a few minutes between dinner and bedtime. Then weekends are filled with the chores not done during the week. But do the kids help? My kids did chores from age one on. Not an exaggeration I promise. They made the mess they can pick it up. Toys go in the toy box. Books go on the shelf. Trash goes in the trashcan. Laundry goes in the hamper. Really not too hard to get your kids to pitch in from the get go.

At the end of the day or after you complete something, even homework or housework ask questions. Omit did I have fun but ask questions like these. Have I learned something? Do I feel productive? Did I do my best? Did I give it my all? Have I grown? Have I discovered something/anything? Have I added value? Have I pushed myself? Could I do more? Could I do better? Was I a good friend? Did I make anyone's day better? Have I done any good in the world today? Every little bit helps and if we move away from the question, was it fun and inspect closer we might just change the world for the better.