National Day of Service
President Barack Obama’s inauguration on TV with his family proudly standing by.
As I am typing this post I am watching the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.
I feel lucky to have today off to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and to have the opportunity to watch the inauguration.
I still remember President Obama’s first inauguration. I was at work and the area I sat in we all agreed to crank up the volume on our computers and watch the inauguration of the first Black president of the United States. We were proud and giddy. It was pretty awesome.
But today is about honoring another great man. Martin Luther King Jr.
And I recently found out about National Day of Service. How did I not know about this before?
Click the link above for more information on National Day of Service to read more. But this is a brief summary: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.
Is there anything more flattering than people helping others in your honor? I think not.
I am always honored when someone gives me a gift in my honor and/or name for a charity.
I try to live my life as a good person and am at an advantage to help others.
My mom taught me to help others. No matter how little we had as I grew up with a single mom we still found ways to help others. After church on Sundays we regularly made brown bag lunches for Casa Maria, which is a soup kitchen in Tucson where my mom now volunteers.
My mom has been retired for about 10 years. And yes, she enjoys her time off and reads a ton. But she also volunteers. All of her volunteer gigs probably equal a part-time job.
I joke that my dream is to be a lady who lunches. But seriously, if I didn’t have to work I would volunteer. I would volunteer in the schools and work with kids on reading. Something I absolutely love doing and used to do when I worked in newspapers. I would help teach young women and men about safe sex. I would help the hungry by working at the food bank and/or a soup kitchen.
My spare time is limited. And I will admit that I am a little selfish over it. Right now I don’t have a lot of time but I do have the financial means to help others.
So that is how I honor myself, my mom and others.
Today is a great day to help and honor others. But every day is a great day to help and honor others.