Saturday, September 11, 2010

Worry

About what do you worry? 

You know, the sort of stuff that keeps you awake or wakes you up at night. 

What's on that list for you?

I'm hoping your list is short and your anxiety level low.

But, we all worry. . .and there's lots about which to be concerned these days.

Of course, I have a very personal worry list that relates to my family, my friends, etc.  No need to go there, at least not here. 

Most of the list I have in mind today rises out of my day-to-day experiences in the community.

I worry about. . .

School children staying in school, not dropping out and then being prepared for higher education once they graduate high school. 

Parents who face a battle every day to keep their children and themselves fed, clothed, and housed.

Men, women and children who have no home to return to at night and little prospect of finding one.

People who want to work and can't find a job.

People who work very hard but don't earn a decent wage.

People who are very ill with no or limited access to the health care that they need. 

People who finally manage access to health care too late. 

Women and children who need protection from abusive and dangerous people and situations, often very close to home or at home.

Young people who want to go to college but can't.

Young folks who gravitate to the street and to gangs out of a sense of powerlessness and disconnection.

People who stand in line to receive food from us.

Keeping things moving and sustainable in my work world, a task that is harder and harder to accomplish.

Injustice in public policy matters, especially in regard to providing for the weak, the ill, the abandoned and the cast out and cast aside.

The responsibility of wealth, privilege and over arching advantage.

The erroneous perceptions and assumptions people operate out of when it comes to "the poor." 

Barriers between and among people that block communication and understanding.

Hate in the name of faith/God/religion.

Hopelessness that emerges from feeling left out.

People who receive limited respect or consideration in the normal course of daily life.

Blindness to racism.

Targets of racism.

The unrelieved grief of so many people who live in poverty. 

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I worry about people that find a way to rationalize and dismiss all of your worries.

Unknown said...

Larry, thanks for the post. I had an interesting experience Thursday night that I would like to share with you the next time I see you. In short, I was in a situation in which I felt "homeless" for about 18 hours, and it was horrible. Too long a story to share in a post, but I feel much, much more keenly aware of the "worry" experienced by the homeless than ever before. I look forward to seeing you and sharing my experience. Keep up your great work. God bless.

Anonymous said...

I worry about people who should know better saying that Islam is a religion of peace when in all probability they are just trying to be politically correct.

Anonymous said...

I worry about a series of incomplete thoughts becoming the law of the land.