So I am currently reading "The Undiscovered Self" by Carl Jung. Odd book for a REALTOR to pick up, but I have always found the human psyche fascinating, and Jung is a favorite. At any rate, one particular passage really struck me. "...the value of a community depends on the spiritual and moral structure of the individuals composing it."
Wow. That means even my private actions affect my community! I know, as REALTORS we practice the code, but I have always thought that ethics without morality is like a cup with a hole in the bottom. Philosophical questions aside, I have always found a great deal of my foundation in my moral and ethical ideals, which follow me from profession to profession.
Let's see how this impacts the community. When I was a much younger man, I discovered if I did someone wrong either personally or professionally, I had trouble sleeping. So my desire to do right by people originated from a selfish desire to get more sleep! As I realized that I did, in fact, have a conscience, I began to explore it and discovered that the right decision was not always as clear cut as I had been led to believe. Morality is somewhat slipperier than simple arithmetic.
I want to disclaim for a moment here, as I think I'm about to head into "debatable territory." When I talk about spirituality in my blog, I am deliberately being vague. I don't want to discount or dismiss any belief or religion. Spiritual beliefs are very personal and very deep, and I in no way want to make light of that.
I do feel that the leap from religion to community is a quick one. You see it in every church here in Fredericksburg. There are church dinners, children's play groups and a host of other opportunities for interaction. The interactions are typically positive, as most folks view any church related event as something they should be "on good behavior" while they attend.
Shouldn't we all be "on good behavior" all the time? That would really affect our community in a very positive way! I'm digressing a little, but it seems like a pretty good point to make. Maybe if we behaved all the time like we behaved in church, mosque, synagogue or whatever, the world might be a nicer place.
So back to community, and how I became involved. My first steps, baby steps into charity involved simply writing a check. Easy, peasy, no muss, no fuss. Still a good thing to do, as it helps people quickly and gives me a tax benefit. We try to give as much as we can every year to the causes we believe in. One of my earlier donations was to our local United Way, who then contacted me and asked me to help them fundraise. What an eye opener! I met a number of people, some of which I had been chasing to do business with me. Then a funny thing happened. Once I got to know them on a personal level, I found that the pathway to being a business partner came much easier.
I also want to throw in a quick word about networking here. Everyone talks about network this, market that, handshake the other. Do not begin volunteering just to get business. People will know in a heartbeat if you're sincere about giving your time. There are easier ways to network if you only want business. Join a BNI or the like. I have gotten a lot of business by meeting people through volunteering, but the business came after we did a good job on whatever project was at hand.
So I began doing a little more volunteer work, and increased my presence in the community. Then a woman I had met talked me into joining our local Jaycee chapter. That was probably the best decision I ever made about getting involved. If you don't know, the Jaycees are a young peoples leadership organization, and the concept is leadership development through community service. So I managed to volunteer and chair a number of projects. That really honed my management and organizational skills. I highly recommend the Jaycees for anyone looking to get involved. I've also worked with the Lions, and they seem like a great organization as well.
Not only did I volunteer more, I made some good friends in the Jaycees. Nothing builds cameraderie like working together for a good cause. In fact, the woman who talked me into joining the Jaycees is now my wife. You could say volunteering and becoming active in my community changed my life! We have had to back off from our volunteering somewhat, as we have a child with special needs, but we do help out when we can. My wife is still a Jaycee, and I have joined our local Freemason chapter.
All the time I have helped my community, I have had my spirituality and my morality tested. There is always a shortcut, an easy way or a simpler solution. Time and time again I have found that taking the time to do things right is its own reward, and it reflects light to anyone watching. Character counts, even in the internet age.
I'll leave you with one more quote from Carl Jung. "It is, unfortunately, only too clear that if the individual is not truly regenerated in spirit, society cannot be either, for society is the sum total of individuals in need of redemption."
Redeem our society. Get involved.
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