Your Name Is Your Reputation

When I was growing up, I was always told that “your name is your reputation, don’t ruin either one.”

It is a good point to keep in mind.

Being Remembered and Paying It Forward

Recent events of what Robert F. Smith did at Morehouse College this past weekend started my brain thinking.

What he did was phenomenal. Those 400 students that graduated will now have the upper hand to start their life in the world, wherever they may end up, with no student debt weighing them down.

What a concept.

Making Pledges and Donations

When the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned down, immediately there were pledges and donations totaling over $6 billion.

For a building.

I understand the history and awe factor that go with the Cathedral, and the draw for the people of Paris and around the world.

But stay with me here.

R.E. Small Hall

I completely understand asking for pledges and donations for buildings.

When I attended UW-Green Bay, I lived in R.E. Small Hall.

While I don’t know who R.E. Small was, I assume he/she provided the funding for building that building.

And I appreciated being able to live in that building while I went to college.

I especially appreciated the fact that each dorm room had its own bathroom!

Multicultural Center in De Pere

Within the past week, an announcement was made for a new multicultural center to be built in De Pere.

Millions of dollars is being donated by a wealthy couple that has made De Pere their home and their community.

Many thanks go to that wealthy couple for sharing.

But ….

Again, stay with me here …

When you already have two-three-four buildings with your name either on them or in them, perhaps it might be time to help …. People.

What Robert F. Smith did at Morehouse is helping People.

And his name will be remembered, just like your name on a building, or inside a building, will be remembered.

But here’s my point:

A BUILDING cannot pay it forward like PEOPLE can pay it forward.

Hear me?

A BUILDING cannot pay it forward like PEOPLE can pay it forward.

A NOTE TO THE WEALTHY

While in this world there are those that take advantage, steal, beg, and borrow, for what you or we consider the “wrong” things, such as drugs, alcohol, and the like, there are people who truly, truly, work hard every single day.

While these people who truly, truly, work hard every single day “make it”, it is an everyday struggle to know how your bills are going to be paid.

Take for instance a family that I know very well.

He has worked for 35+ years at the same job, rarely ever takes a vacation, and makes no more than $14 an hour.

His wife works and makes about the same.

Their children are grown and gone. They are grandparents.

But he’s “made it”.

He’s had health issues.  He’s made all of his house payments.  He’s made all of his vehicle payments, he has retirement funds.

But he’s never been able to enjoy a trip to the beach in Florida or California, because they are just surviving.

If he would have to take off work a couple of months for a health issue, they have no savings to cover the bills that still come whether you are sick or not.

It would be those people that could use a surprise thousand dollar check in the mail that isn’t a scam.

A thousand dollars means a great deal to them.

A hundred dollars means a great deal to them.

Fifty dollars – twenty-five dollars means a great deal to them.

And you know what? I would bet that those people would take part of any extra money, if not even all of it, and give it to someone else, because they know someone who needs it more than they do.

Your name would definitely be remembered by these people.

Think about that.

Sending love and hugs ~Erika ~