September 2004 Theme of the Month: Kindness in our Home
Message from John Choa, International President:
Community Service requires a personal commitment and, quite naturally, starts with the ones that are closest to us. How can I be of service to my community if I ignore the needs of my family – my spouse, my children, my parents! Show them that you care. Make sure your children feel loved and learn to care for others. Show affection and compassion. “Let your light shine”!
Thoughts by Arlo R. Pannkuk, Community Service Think Tank:
* Kindness in the home is necessary and right for personal development and for family stability. Family members can respond back to each family member about their actions within the home. This leads to improved relations in all aspects of life. Kindness is to accept and respect each member of our families.
* Kindness in the home develops less stress in people's lives, which improves health. There is no question within the medical industry that stress leads to complications within our health.
* Kindness in the home is training for our 'interface' to the community. The approaches we take within our homes will undoubtedly be carried into our non-home activities. If we are unable to express kindness in the home, we certainly can not express kindness in our other walks in life. Kindness is to accept and respect each person we come in contact with during our daily activities.
Our purpose as Y’s Men is “to build a better world for all mankind”. How can we pursue this purpose if we do not, ourselves, practice kindness, especially to our families? This is the first Community Service step. Next step is to communicate the idea to our communities. Some suggestions:
- Ask a local newspaper to carry, e.g. once a week, a paragraph under the heading “Be Kind” using the above thoughts – and/or similar thoughts of your own or the “ambassador” (see below)
- Ask a local personality of high integrity to give his/her thoughts on social/psychological etc. aspects of kindness – in the newspaper or a presentation for parents
- Introduce a “Be Kind” awareness week
- Promote a “Day of Kindness” in your local school, where Y’s Men offer to assist
- Appoint a “Kindness ambassador” in your community
See more at www.ysmen.org - Programmes/Community Service.
Reminder: Theme of the Month for October is: “Honesty in business”
Y’sly - Otto H. Larsen, ISD Community Service