Helping Others

When did life become all about making money and ensuring one's security? Sure it's nice to know you have some money in the bank in case of a catastrophe...but should that be the end all of your existence? I think not.

A lot of the young people I know these days are planning on becoming teachers. I can't think of a better profession and one that is desperately in need of new blood and innovative ideas. As a teacher, one will never make lots of money but is money the only invaluable payoff?

I interviewed yesterday with a non-profit organization that builds houses for people in St Bernard parish (hardest hit from Hurricane Katrina) that want to move back. It was founded by two people, not from here, that decided they had to do something.

I think we all get to that point in our lives – that is if we weren’t raised to want to do things for others – eventually. Usually after we’ve experienced something dramatic that forces us to “relook” our lives and what we’ve accomplished/not accomplished.

I’m at that point now. I’d love to make a lot of money and have the same kind of disposable income I had before but why? I spent 9 years traveling to just about every place on the planet I really wanted to see and experience in my lifetime. I’ve bought virtually (some would say literally) everything I would ever want in life. I can’t imagine there’s anything out there I really want or need now.

So it’s time to give back. It’s time to accept that “giving back” is a thankless task and is seriously undercompensated, at least monetarily. If I get the job, I’m looking for a payback of a different kind. A sincere “thank you”, the exhaustion (and good night’s sleep) after a long day of hard work, and a sense of appreciation for what people in this state have gone through for the past 5 ½ years.

Seems like a good thing to me…