There are people in our lives in society who genuinely and sincerely care about the needs of others, be it a grocery store manager, a municipal councillor, a bank teller or a company president.
I often hear people say these people are only in it for the money. How can we begrudge someone for providing themselves, their families and their employees with a livelihood. And if others do not notice the care given in the things other people do in the nature of their work, the care is not being valued.
If the care is not being valued, it is marginalized in importance by other perspectives about human nature and our society, and puts extra demands on caring peoples’ strength to continue and have faith in their sense of purpose and believe in themselves as compassionate human beings.
One can understand people becoming cynical, discouraged or downhearted about society because of the hardships and difficulties they meet in their own lives.
Only, this is not constructive.
If we do notice and value the care in people around us – parents, children and youth and grandparents, shop owners, grocery clerks, police – then a response of acknowledgment can foster and strengthen the compassionate nature of our social fabric, which, in turn, makes it simpler for individuals to be caring.
Dianne Mark
Brentwood Bay