People seek many things for themselves; quiet, solitude, power, money, truth, science, politics, peace, war, happiness, work, companionship, music, and endless more.
None of these matter. None of them are “central” to the true meaning of life.
The central truth of humanity is that unless we care for each other in our hearts, we are lost. I do not mean doing things to show we care but rather behaving in a way because we care.
Getting bloodwork yesterday I arrived before the lab opened at 630am. Upon my arrival there were already 4 people in front of me; oh well, no problem. Doors opened on time and we all filed in and checked in with the receptionist. The have a brutally annoying form they require be filled out which slows things down; thank you Obamacare and lawyers. There were 5 people in the lab performing various functions, shuffling around as if they had purpose. Only one person was drawing blood. Already a sad commentary on the state of our healthcare system. My name was finally called just before 730am. It took less than 2 minutes for the lab tech to draw my blood and send me on my way. A full hour after my arrival.
I could wax on for hours about defects in the labs processes & lack of supervision or accountability for productivity; time and motion etc; but to do so would miss the central truth….. NOBODY in the lab CARES about people waiting in reception. Should one or more of them truly care in their heart they would be moved to do something. Try anything. Do something. Not allow it to take 15 minutes per person (the average for the 4 people in front of me) for a 2 minute blood draw. It’s literally impossible for them to credibly assert they care. They simply do not care.
Why? I don’t know. How did they become this way? I don’t know. Do they have God in their lives? Doubtful. Do they need God in their lives to care? Not necessarily. Am I too harsh? Do I lack sympathy for the challenges they face? Is my example a simple process problem? Is it a leadership problem? I think not.
I know what your are thinking, that I am being overly critical. In your minds eye, despite that you were not there, you are making excuses for the 5 people in the lab. Perhaps it speaks to your willingness to be understanding and forgiving; I suppose there is some good in that for you. But by rejecting my conclusion you risk being part of the bigger problem. You make it ok for people to not care. This vignette is a glimpse into who we have become as a people. I never said the people in the lab were evil or bad but all it takes is the absence of good for evil and sadness to blossom. This is who we have become, a people unwilling to risk being good…. not just thinking good….. being good….. doing good. Being a people who in our hearts truly care about each other.
Caring for people moves action…. good only happens when people sincerely care about each other. Good is not the absence of bad.