A friend of mine was complaining that I hadn't been posting frequently enough on here, so I told HIM to write something..  I couldn't be more please with the result...  Thanks Brian!!!

When one is mowing a walking path on a 95 degree day there is little to do but to sweat and think. While mowing in Bob's Woods, I would have various thoughts like; "how long would it take for nature to reclaim the path if no one mowed it?", "will this path be here a 100 years from now?" and "who walks on this path?". The last question leads to more thoughts such as "if volunteers do not mow the path then who would?" and also " I have been on similar paths other places and WHO took care of them?". The "WHO?" is most critical, particularly in a time of budget constraints and cutbacks. The "WHO?" are volunteers that have given 15 minutes, 15 hours or whatever amount of time out of their lives to make the existence of others a little better without the expectation of recognition or compensation other than the feeling of self accomplishment and the thought of  "I did that".
 

Even though I have not volunteered with BR as extensively as I would have liked, my experiences with the group have been humbling. Volunteering itself is a very humbling and equalizing experience where one is not defined by their name, degree, title, profession or any of the other criteria in which society places "value". In the instance of volunteering, the "value" is in the action itself, making someone's life just a little bit or often to the recipent themselves, a WHOLE lot better. I speak of being humbled because as most people of my generation we focus on important issues like :  "I want a new car", "I want a vacation" or "I want my student loans paid off".  Compared to some of the issues faced by people that BR has helped, my "wants" and "needs" are pretty insensitive considering there are people in our community (not to mention the world) with leaking roofs, no food and other struggles with day to day living that is often taken for granted by myself (and hopefully by others also so I don't sound like such a jerk).
 

Nate asked me to write a "little something" when I was complaining that he has not blogged lately, so I have to stop and summarize my thoughts before they wander too far off track. In summary, if  I.. you... whoever... does not volunteer... then who will?  Volunteer, because in the words of the angelic Martha Stewart "It's a good thing"...

**You can follow Brian on Twitter @BubbaCarey

Spent this afternoon mowing for a very good friend and her father (95).  Wow, what a yard.  Took a solid hour of trucking back and forth with the pushmower while Brian ran the WeedEater.  If the average person walks at 4 miles per hour, that means I mowed a 4 mile strip of grass tonight...  okay, maybe 3, but still a long way to push a mower.  It was well worth it though... We got the chance to talk about changes in our lives and our friend bought dinner to say thank you.  Nice evening...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of listening to Jerry Storch, President and CEO of Toys R Us.  I was surprised to hear Jerry talk about what's important in life and to include humility on the list.  While he was here, the BR "leadership team" (i'm just a consultant) put their heads together and decided to ask for a donation to help Rob reach his goal of collecting soccer balls for Haiti.  It was a fast paced effort to get a grant proposal together, but it got done, and Jerry was polite enough to give Rob his personal email address with which to follow up.   Anything they donate will be bonus and I'm confident they'll come through for him...

Coming up this weekend, its all hands on deck as there are a few people intensive jobs going on at the same time.   Originally scheduled is the car wash and flea market that was rescheduled from April at the Living Waters Church in Olean.   Simultaneously, Pete and the CYC crew will be camping at Allegany State Park for a work weekend cleaning trails and doing maintenance.  It is my hope that people will turn out to help, though we shall see...  I'll post on facebook and perhaps someone will get the urge.   From the perspective of the recently converted, if you try it once, you'll want to keep doing it.

-Nate

Continuing in my reading of "The Lessons of St. Francis", one of the chapters I read this evening was on humility.   At the end of each chapter, the author poses questions for consideration by the reader, and suggests ways in which we can further incorporate the values of St. Francis into our own lives...  Here are the questions from the lesson on humility:

-When you are around other people, do you insist on promoting your opinions, driving home your points, and being the last one to talk on an issue?  Or are you content to let others have their say without any commentary or criticism from you?

Do I REALLY have to tell anyone that knows me the answer to this? 

-How do you feel about the driver who cuts you off on the freeway?  Are you shocked by his insensitivity to your rights as a driver?  Or how do you feel about the family which grabs the restaurant table that you had eyed for yourself?  Or what do you feel about the handicapped person who forces you to walk more slowly or delays your ascent up a flight of stairs to an important meeting?  Do you easily get bent our of shape and angry about slight inconveniences?

Admittedly, I failed this question as well...  It drives me batty when I get cut off in traffic, of course I always want the best table, and with the exception of my grandmother, slow people for whatever reason get me bent out of shape.  And since we're on the topic of small things; is it really that hard for the bank to restock the ATM on Friday before they leave for the weekend?

-How do you treat others?  How do you related to the person taking your order at the fast food restaurant drive-through window?  Are you brusque and insolent?  Or how do you interact with the cashier at the local convenience store?  Are you all business, or do you have time to exchange a smile, share a word of encouragement, or offer a compliment?  Do you demand polite service or are you thankful for it?

This was going to be my saving grace, but alas, failure...

The point (I think) to these questions lies in ultimately asking ourselves; "Who am I to say I am better than another?"  All of us have our strengths, our weaknesses, our gifts, our shortcomings; its what makes each of unique, by God's design.  In humility we are to place others before ourselves, to be in their service, and to raise them on our own backs if need be... 

Here is a passage that touched me in particular...

"Pride makes us hate our equals because they are our equals; our inferiors for fear they may equal us; our superiors because they are above us."     -St. John Vianney

How true!?!  Who am I to say that another is not deserving of the same gifts I have been given?  Who am I to be envious of another when he benefits and I do not?  Who am I to question the decisions of those I work for?  This is by far the most difficult virtue for me to embrace, but I must work to practice humility in my life moving forward and ask forgiveness for my lack of humility thus far...  

-Nate