For All The Blue Tarps

Wally Skalij, Los Angeles Times

“Sometimes it's easy to walk by because we know we can't change someone's whole life in a single afternoon. But what we fail to realize it that simple kindness can go a long way toward encouraging someone who is stuck in a desolate place.” ― Mike Yankoski

My wife and I were recently in Los Angeles visiting our daughter's family. We had a great time visiting them and also with a few of my relatives. I will admit that Atlanta has a ways to go in the pure amount of traffic which exists in the Los Angeles area.

During our travels through out the L.A. area, we noticed a high level of what can only be termed homelessness. Current estimates as of February 2015 indicate over 44,000 homeless people in L.A. county alone.

The signs of this are the many blue tarp villages along and under overpasses of the freeways. But this is not confined to Los Angeles, every state, every country, every place on this great earth has homelessness.

US Department of Housing and Urban Development

2015 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress

I get it, there are many reasons for homelessness in this world.

Poverty, unemployment, lack of affordable housing, poor physical or mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, family and relationship breakdown including domestic violence, physical and/or sexual abuse. And yes, choice by some.

All of this said, we cannot individually solve this huge problem. It is something which cannot simply be ignored by driving faster down the freeway or looking the other way. It is an issue that can bring down society eventually. The cost either to ignore or treat the symptoms will require hard, tough and expensive choices. None of those costs am I here to debate.

What we can do though is not turn a blind eye.

We can offer a friendly smile, maybe a cup of coffee, a meal or some small chance of hope.

I can be ridiculed for the simple minded ideas but hope is something which can spark another day, another opportunity or another possibility in the eyes of someone facing homelessness, poverty or where a next meal might come from.

The human spirit is to have for and want compassion from others. If we can offer that spark, maybe we can ignite something greater. The something greater might just be the social, political or human solutions which turn someone's life around.

Stay inspired my friends!

Time As It Passes

As time passes by....

"Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at once." - Anonymous

There is so much we want to happen here and now. We want the special someone to appear, that new home or car, kids or high-level position at work. We want everything and all in a matter of moments.

Yet we know patience and time will take place before we get any of it.

Then there are days when so much occurs to us. In the quote given above, it continues by saying "... lately it doesn't seem to be working." This is the part where all of the turmoil or pain seems to enter in.

We go through days when all of the world seems to be falling in upon us. Down deep though we know time will pass and all will be well once again. But it certainly does not seem to be the case when you are in the thick of it. The existence of time has a way of working for us and at other times against us.

Time is just that, time. You draw a long line and place a dot on it to mark your location.

Our journey in life is a human one and time passes on to the next event or events. Know the passing of time will change our circumstance and condition. Whatever is going on in your life at this moment, time will pass and things can change.

Stay inspired my friends!

A Dollar Given

"The easiest way for your children to learn about money is for you not to have any." - Katharine Whitehorn

Over the past few days we have been assisting our kids with their vehicle issue.

It can be difficult when in school or starting out on your own to maintain good reliable transportation. It is not much and believe me the cars are not the most current or the nicest wheels to have. But what they have is transportation and gives them the freedom to get to school and work as needed.

The interesting thing is I feel a need to develop and grow a money tree. It is not that I believe my kids think money grows on a tree. It is that I wish I had a money tree in the back yard to pick from which would make things so much easier.

My wish for a money tree is certainly not unique.

Each of us would love to have one of our very own. But since there is no such thing as a money tree, it means we need to be wise about our money. If I am diligent and smart about things, I will end up at a point in which the money is working for me instead of me working for money.

Many good books to learn how to handle money.

What I have found is simple common sense seems to work. I do not allow money to become the object of my desire. I understand that money can help me do for others. Just collecting and hoarding money will not fulfill my life.

What fulfills my life is the ability to help others.

We all wish we had more money in our lives. I wish the same thing but I wish it only so that more can be done for others. I sometimes think of myself as a poor mans philanthropist. But would I make a good rich mans philanthropist? I hope so and am willing to try.

Until that happens I will keep doing what I am doing with what I have.

I will continue to write my blog. I will continue to write books. If I earn anything, that money gets turned around to help others in small ways which can make a big difference in peoples lives.

You can do the same thing.

Look to donate money, items or take a few extra dollars earned to help someone out. You will be surprised by how good you feel and the return in unmeasured ways you will reap over time. It is in the giving that will yield more for you life then you could ever imagine.

Stay inspired my friends!

I Choose To Believe

Matthew 28:5-10

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Have a great and awe inspiring Easter Sunday!