This past week has given me much to reflect on.
But, Friday night at the Holy Family endowment dinner, Bishop John Brungardt put it so simply.
Our jobs as Christians and as a Catholic school is to simply look beyond ourselves and to reach out; To reach out with whatever we have, and to give it unconditionally.
What great words to live by regardless of where we come from or what faith we practice.
Not that it is always easy.
Sometimes we get caught up in our own little worlds, trying to keep the bills paid, trying to find time to get everything done that needs to be done, trying to make certain those things important to us come first.
But sometimes we get blinded by the walls we build trying to keep our lives manageable.
My children do not get an “allowance” per say. They are expected to do certain chores as their contribution to the family or in exchange for piano lessons, voice lessons, or other activities.
Therefore, spending money, saved by my 10 year-old son, is a precious commodity since he does not have regular opportunities to earn more.
Yet this week he wiped out almost half of his “fun money” to donate to his school’s penny challenge. The funds raised were going toward friendship benches on the school playground and, “Mommy, everybody needs a friend”.
Last week I read an article about spirit week at Central Kansas Christian Academy, a week of excitement, education and fun for students leading up to the Catholic Basketball League tournament this past weekend. This event wouldn’t have been possible without the Catholic League reaching out and inviting CKCA to participate with them.
In Friday’s paper Treaders announced it was donating 10 percent of Saturday’s sales to the Central Kansas Court Appointed Special Advocate program.
Something it didn’t have to do, but wanted to do because they felt the need to reach out and help the program.
Saturday CASA celebrated its annual Chocolate Auction to raise money and recognize its volunteers.
The CASA program reaches out and provides children a voice in court — a voice that would otherwise go unheard.
But reaching out doesn’t require us to be so organized or to even give up much.
All it takes is a few thoughtful words, a little understanding, some loose change, or a silent prayer.
All it takes is for us to look beyond ourselves and how our words and actions affect others.
It requires us to put a few windows and doors in those walls we build so we can be aware and influence the world around us.
It requires us to be bigger than ourselves, or as the Rotary motto puts it: “Service above self.”
How great would it be if we could recapture the innocence of our youth and look at others with open eyes, open minds and open hearts so that we too could feel the same love and peace.
And to think all it requires from us is to reach out.
(Mary Hoisington is the publisher of the Great Bend Tribune. Her e-mail address is mhoisington@gbtribune.com.)