Life is a Bird

Life is a bird, flying just out of reach

Little lessons in life leave their marks where we can see them and be reminded that, none of us is perfect, none of us has all the answers and, none of us have all the pieces for the BIG puzzle -in other words, we need each other.

Teamwork always seemed, to me, like a quaint Corporate phrase that was bandied about in pep rallies and supposed "incentive" meetings that, usually only meant there would be no raise in wages, nor any bonuses handed out. But, as a husband, a father, an entrepreneur, an employee and, well, as a person, I'm finally beginning to learn the true value of "team" work.

I found out, recently, that I really cannot do it ALL by myself -and what a stunning revelation that was, let me tell you! All things are connected, in so many different ways, it's mind-boggling to ponder.

We help someone who is broken down by the side of the road because, who knows, next time, it could be us, sitting, watching the cars go by, wondering if anybody will ever stop. We help our kids learn their lessons the easy way, benefitting from our own experiences -because we don't want them to learn it the hard way, like we did. We help our neighbors with small tasks, here and there, attempting to live amicably with one another and help to keep the peace.

There are times, however, when conflagrations get out of control. The "Little Stuff," that we're told to "let go," tends to pile up, and then it overwhelms us. "Little Stuff," like losing our job when the economy is already on the ropes, bills pile up, taxes come due, late fees escalate our debt ratio and-suddenly, we're out of control. Or strong words are spoken, at home, at school, at work, any place, really... at church. Feelings get hurt, but no one notices until, like a teapot, the pressure becomes too much. Something's gotta give.

On the subject of "giving," -there's one nice thing about human nature, that you can almost always count on -where the need is greater, the giving becomes more generous. For instance, where I live, in Eastern Washington state, there is a spate of wild fires raging, incredibly, out of control. There are, however, literally, thousands of individuals volunteering their time and resources to help those whose personal property (oftentimes, their very homes) has been destroyed. But it's not easy.

This is where we come in. Several donation drives are underway right now, whereby we can meet some of the needs of the victims, the firefighters, and the other volunteers, with food, clothing, sundry items and many other things. Stay tuned for more information on where, when and how to donate.