Where are the Hands?

"Many hands make light work." -John Heywood

We hear that quote all the time. Yet I wonder, does it really mean anything to anyone?

This week I find myself up to my eyeballs in decorations and awards for our Cub Scout Pack's Blue & Gold banquet. I am driven my sense of responsibility and a desire to make things nice for my son and the other boys in my Cub Scout Den. I am driven by a desire to make it a great banquet, to "do my best," to do all that I can for the good of the group. But still, I find myself one of the few parents who is willing to go the extra mile to do these things. Where is everyone else? Why do others find it acceptable to sit on the side and watch while the same old die-hards carry the load?

In recent months I have actually had people tell me that I do too much (duh, but no one else is stepping up). I have actually had people tell me that they take pride in sitting on the side. They take pride in NOT volunteering. I have had people tell me that I should SIT ON MY HANDS in meetings so that I will not volunteer and have so much work to do.

Is that who we are? Is that the example that we want to set for our children?

If we as parents, citizens, humans do not step up when we are needed then who will? How does the work get done if no one will volunteer to do it? How does an organization stay in existence if no one is willing to do their small part to help out?

We are all needed to keep our schools, churches, non-profit organizations, sports teams, government, and on and on going. Everyone complains about the injustices going on around them. But what are you actually doing to change things?

I will not stop volunteering to help the organizations that I and my family are involved in. I believe that we are doing the right thing. I only wish that others would step forward, extend their hands and help us "make light the work."