It is perhaps a testament to the fast paced, hurly burly of our times that many bright moments pass with barely a whisper. This is particularly so when such events require reflection - not lending themselves to an easy headline or front-page story.
One such moment was on Friday October 16, 2009. On this day hundreds gathered to commemorate 20 years of service achievements stemming from President H.W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural address in which he called for ‘a thousand points of light’, and the subsequent creation of the Points of Light Institute to fulfill that mission. Among those gathered, and giving the keynote address, was President Obama.
Watching these presidents, side by side one could not miss that there could be fewer studies in contrasts: one an elderly octogenarian, the other a young man not yet fifty. It was even more remarkable to ponder the divergent paths each took to the presidency and the different policies they pursued once elected. One was a virtual shoe-in having served as a vice of a beloved sitting president. The other, a young upstart, who was given little chance of winning. One a Republican, and the other a Democrat.
And yet, on this day they stood side by side, their mutual respect and admiration clear for all to see. For beyond the difference their individual stations and outlooks, one detected that there must have been a moment of recognition between them. A moment that went beyond their having pursued and attained the highest office in the land. Looking closely it became clear what it was; SERVICE! President H.W. Bush enlisted as soon as he turned 18, while almost everyone is familiar with President Obama’s story of community service.
In the keynote address, which was a moving tribute to his predecessor, President Obama said in part;
“Once you have tutored young people in a struggling neighborhood, it’s hard not to care about that ballot measure to fund their school. Once you’ve volunteered at a food-bank, it is hard not to care about poverty and unemployment. Over time the needs of the people you serve become your stake in the challenges of our time. Because, in the end, service binds us to each other, and to our community and to our country in a way that nothing else can…"
Monday January 18, 2010, is MLK Day. A day designated for service to others. We hope you will volunteer and serve in your community.
EchoDitto is proud to be a longtime partner of the HandsOn Network and the Points of Light Institute. Today we are collaborating with them, among others, in our work to grow and strengthen the open source All for Good platform of service opportunities. Check out www.serve.gov/mlkday to find volunteer opportunities in your community this weekend, including those sponsored by the HandsOn Network.
