I'll Alert The Media

Probably the most overused movie quote incorporated in our house is from the the movie Arthur.  When Arthur informed his manservant of his intentions to take a bath, Hobson promptly replied, "I'll alert the media." Hardly a week passes, in our house, that when some one's immediate plans are being discussed, one of us quickly responds, "I'll alert the media."

Lately, my little brain has been considering mankind's need for significance and his almost ridiculous lust for recognition. Indeed, I am beginning to believe that man's search for significance may lead to the undoing of us all. And I really haven't thought this all the way through. Maybe "search for significance" and "need for recognition" are two separate entities. Quite possibly, they are worthy of their own posts. But for today's rant, I am going to jump back and forth between the two. It's okay. It's my blog.

For years, I've belonged to a Fellowship that rents a meeting space here in town. It is well known among the members that "clean-up" is every Saturday morning at 9:00 A.M. Several years ago, I looked up and realized that only two members were there for clean-up. Spring was there. And I was there. I asked Spring if the two of us were going to clean this place by ourselves. He looked at me and said, "Yes we are. And we're not gonna tell a soul." How funny is that! Poor Spring. He actually thought that I was going to be of service and not get any recognition. I looked him squarely in the eye and replied, "You may not plan on telling anybody. But I'm telling everyone I know!"

Spring's idea of service without recognition was quite possibly the stupidest thing that I had ever heard of. I mean it was truly a ROFL moment for me. I would like to tell you that things have changed over the years. Sadly, they haven't, for the most part.

The old adage "if you spot it, you got it" really rings true with the condition with which I suffer. And man oh man, can I ever spot it! You are out there killing yourselves for recognition. You so need to be significant. You truly need the recognition. And it's happening at every level in society....from parking lot attendants at places of worship to occupiers of the most powerful seats of power in the nation. We have a crazy, almost insane obsession with making a name for ourselves....to be significant....to be recognized. It is literally killing a couple of people with whom I used to be very close. It makes me sad. But I am forced to sit idly by and let them learn this important life lesson.

There is good news. There are exceptions. They do exist. They are out there. I remember a couple of folks from my youth who exemplified what a true servant might look like. The Old Man married one of these strange people after my mother died. How he got so lucky, I'll never know. It was his second wife in a row that exemplified servant hood. Just a few houses down from me are a couple of people who have served on every board, committee, organization, and booster club that time will permit for two people who also have full time jobs.

I've never talked to them about it or interviewed them as to why? I've just simply observed. For nearly twenty years, I've just observed.

Seemingly, these people and a small percentage of the inhabitants of our planet seek to be of service without accolades or recognition. It's a foreign concept to me. But evidently, they do it. And they do it because

It is just the right thing to do.

"The fruit of faith is Love. The fruit of love is Service. The fruit of service is Peace." --Mother Teresa