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Norton: All the good you can do

Last weekend I had an opportunity to enjoy a couple of beers with Brian, a very good and close friend of mine. On the day we had met, we were experiencing one of those crazy weather weekends where the temperature was in the mid-60s the day before, and then snowing the very next day. I was already there when Brian walked in, and as he walked in, we were talking about how crazy it was out there.

And although the weather was indeed a bit strange, we quickly realized we were talking about all the other crazy things that are going on in the world. And that led us into a discussion around what we could do as individuals to help in any way that we could. What could we do as a family to help? And what can we do as a community if we really rallied all those who give of their time, resources, and talents?

A song by Jana Stanfield came to my mind, “All the Good I Can Do.” The lyric that I thought of reads, “I cannot do all the good that the world needs but the world needs all the good I can do.”



With our attention focused on the war in Ukraine and in other war-torn countries elsewhere, many are wondering what they can do to help. Rising supplier costs lead to rising consumer prices and that means many people are making decisions about what they can afford and what they have to do without, and again, raising the question of what we can do to help.

As we look around there are plenty of opportunities where our generosity of time, resources, and talents can be applied. So, what we mustn’t do is to get so caught up in the things that we cannot do or control, and rather focus on all the things that we can do. And whether that is on a grand scale or the tiniest little thing that can make a difference, we must do what the song encourages, because the world does need all the good we can do.

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There are food pantries with empty shelves. Local churches have a food pantry, or they support one, so that is a good place to start. Soup kitchens, food kitchens, and meal centers are also a great place to donate food or volunteer to serve. Finding the closest homeless center or rescue mission is another excellent place to start as they can always use funding, or they can let us know what they need in the way of donations.

As the war rages on in Ukraine, there are many places that are taking donations in the form of clothing, blankets, health and hygiene products, and other goods that can possibly help those who have been displaced. And again, financial donations to the Red Cross or other charities that step in to help victims, refugees, and those left homeless by the war.

Sometimes when there are major events happening in our country or around the world, we can suffer from a sense of feeling numb or paralyzed, and we become so fixated on those bigger problems that we forget about the causes that are important to us and that need our help in any way that we can possibly provide.

Now is the time to rise to the occasion and step up to help out, and step in with our time, resources, and talents. Even forgetting the wars taking place and the pandemics, hunger, lack of shelter and clothing, poor health, joblessness, and sudden loss of life leaving families members without the means to live as they once did all create opportunities for us to do all the good that we can do.

Is there a closet that you can clean out to support a clothing drive? Is there a food pantry that you could help stock once a month? I would love to hear your story at mnorton@xinnix.com and when we can do all the good we can do, it really will be a better than good year.


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