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Hope shines even among loss
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 07/13/2008 12:12:24

Being as old as Velveeta, one needs to find things to fill their time left on the earth, and one of those things is work. Unfortunately, work is something that often makes one want death to come earlier. So, for me, a more fulfilling activity comes in lending a helping hand to those in need.

It does have its benefits for me besides just feeling like I have a purpose. One of those benefits is meeting all types of people, often, people who would not otherwise give me the time of day. Me, a white post-punk, vegan-peacnik that lives in sin with a black woman.

But I love being around people that are so different and share different points of view. I find discourse with another intelligent person to be exciting as well as educational.

And that is what I often find when going out on the Red Cross Disaster Relief operation, recently to the Midwest floods.

It was there that I met a former army officer and veteran of the Korean war who now volunteers with the Red Cross. He has worked for many years and seen many disasters, and, like many former military officers, has brought his military experience with him to this volunteer organization.

This man whom I'll call Mr. Ready was a staunch conservative. A true Reaganite who no doubt votes 'R' across the board and watches Bill O'Rielly every night (and who tried to convince me to watch him). Mr. Ready and I discussed many things one morning over breakfast and I learned plenty from him: Bill Clinton was an immoral man and a horrible President; Justice Kennedy has way too much power on the Supreme Court and needs to be replaced; and, Illegal Immigration is one of the top problems of our Country.

"So", I asked him, "You'll be voting for John McCain? A man who will continue this war?" (He had also mentioned that he opposed the war in Iraq).

He looked straight at me and said he was, for the first time ever, going to be voting Democratic. Obama was a man of character and compassion. A man who spoke truth.

I was stunned. I was so stunned that I missed my opportunity to nudge him with "but Bill O'Reilly wouldn't vote for him!"

On another day, I was in a town that had been completely destroyed by the flood. Most of the townspeople who didn't live quite high enough lost everything. They need hope more than anyone. Helping an old farmer who had come into the service center - he told me that he never wanted anything, never asked for anything and didn't really want to take anything from us, but his wife was sick and he was desperate.

After providing him with his basic needs, he got up to leave and in the midst of thanking each of us and offering his help should we need anything, he said to me, "When we have Obama as President, maybe things will be better".

This type of thing happened almost daily during my weeks as a volunteer. From other RC workers to police and firefighters to victims of disaster and, this will sound very corny, but it actually made ME hopeful. ME!

I too look forward to an Obama Presidency!

 

71 comments (Latest Comment: 07/14/2008 03:52:18 by Raine)
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