I was shocked yesterday when one of the kids who I have been
around for 6 years asked me a great question. ‘Dave, why do you do what you
do?’ I responded by asking why do you
think I do what I do? Then he continued to ask questions, ‘Is this really your
job? Do you get paid for it?’ Then I proceeded to explain the why aspect of
what pushed me to dive into doing community work. I have others that do the eye
blink thing when it comes to the question of how I can been around kids, teens
or adults who sometimes don’t act the best and why I would choose to be around
them.
This young guy that was asking the question has been one of
my favorite kids that God has placed in my life over the last 8 years. He comes
out of a really unfortunate situation. His dad has been in prison most of his
life. His mom struggles with being there in a real way for him but he is
blessed to have a grandma, actually great grandma, that has helped raised him
from the beginning. He is someone that has not allowed his circumstances to
stop him from dreaming and working hard. He loves school even though those
around him would make fun of him for caring and working hard.
My little friend’s question is key to understanding what
makes one person love their life and another person hate their life. My wife
was around someone yesterday that had a great job and family, yet, this person
decided to take their own life. The impact of this action will cripple the
lives of their kids and spouse. So how does someone discover their passion or
love of life? I know that dreaming and volunteering to discover one’s calling
in life isn’t very popular. My hope is to help others learn to dream and
discover their God given talents in life. I have a niece who is a straight A student
and loves design and photography. She also is doing tennis in high school. I
don’t expect to see her at Wimbledon but do expect to see her pictures in many
galleries. She is a passionate photographer, which isn’t any surprise because
her dad is amazing!
Often our passion in life is a by-product of our family,
culture, and circumstances around special people that have intersected our
lives. My passion was developed over a lifetime with a wife and parents on both
sides that showed the great example of caring in hands on ways for all people.
It was my experience of working in a downtown church in my youth that I was
inspired by a mentor youth worker. She was hands on and always on the move. I
was taught that each kid, teen or young adult had value and gifts that just
needed to be found with some creativity and persistence.
I was fortunate to have some older friends in one of my
churches that dragged me into being involved with Habitat for Humanity. It was
through this Habitat journey that I was able to understand doing community work
from many different angles. I was blessed to be president of the board for many
years, helping with all phases of the operation from fund raising, board
development, actually overseeing many builds and most important of all getting
to know our Habitat Families. I came to understand the importance of having a
home, building a community and then seeing the practical importance of living
and teaching sustainability.
It has been my mom’s love of people that has probably taught
me the most when it comes to seeing a diamond in the ruff. I get criticized at
times if I’m too honest about the nature of our work and how difficult life is
growing up in generational poverty. My mom was the one that was always out
going and quick to speak up and make a new friend or ask what was going on that
a person would have a frown on their face. I have been taught by so many of my
friends that everyone has value and the ability to make a difference in the
world around them. Yet, our cultural and society too often sends the message
that if you don’t exactly fit into today’s achievement or success mode that you
aren’t going to make it. My hope is to create a new paradigm that isn’t based
upon where you live, what college or grad school you attended, your skin color
or religious preference but upon what you do with your life.
It’s true that to find your passion in life also means that
you have to be honest as you self-reflect to see what you don’t do well and
stay away from it by allowing others around you to bring their passion. My wife
and I are clean freaks that love to pick up and take messes and transform them
into clean places. This summer we have a couple of interns and five little kids
living with us that typically are great at activities but not great at
cleaning. My wife has this eye for spotting messes and then making them
disappear. So I know that I’m not going to put the kids or my interns over
cleaning the house.
I’m so glad that my little friend was bold enough to ask the
why question. So don’t be afraid to ask a friend the why question of what they
do and then discover your passion and love in life. It won’t be long before
someone asks you the why question!
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