GOOD DEEDS FOR OUR NON-HUMAN COUNTERPATHS

DOING A GOOD DEED FOR OUR ANIMALS 

 

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mahatma Gandhi.

 

This particular incident had occurred at around last year March. But as I have started writing on this blog about Good Deeds, I thought to myself: “Hey Arlene, what about animals. What about one of the blogs addressing doing good deeds to animals. They may not have a voice, well at least not a human voice, but they are still part of God’s creation.”

 

That day, on my way to work, driving along the Eastern Main Road (west-bound) I saw a female dog and her young one (possibly a couple months old) trying to go across the street. (You know, how some of these dogs behave, as if they own the road.) I was lucky to have seen them, so I had ample time to slow down to let them cross.

 

Unfortunately the driver of the car that was coming in the opposite direction (east-bound) did not get a chance to see them and hit the bigger dog, killing her on the spot. The little pup seemed confused and very disoriented letting out a soft wail. I remembered he looked so helpless and alone.

 

My first instinct was to "let sleeping dogs lie" (no pun intended) and leave the little pup right where it was, thinking someone else will take care of it. However, my inner voice spoke to me and I had to respond. I could not bear the thought of the future of this pup, which seemed so bleak.

 

So I came out of the car and I took the little pup - he was so small and cute. I already had a dog of my own but I knew of a neighbor who always expressed interest in getting a dog, so I knew where the pup’s new home was going to be. In fact up to yesterday I saw the children playing with the puppy that is now very loved and well fed.

  

I always like to insert a video in my blog, however this week , how can I say, it was a tad difficult to get a video that adequately supports my topic. So I just decided to use a fun video that includes the word “dog”.

 

I selected "WHO LET THE DOGS OUT ?" which is a song written and originally recorded by our very own Anslem Douglas (titled "Doggie") for  our Carnival season of 1998. This version was done by the Baha Men.

 

Even though this song may have been about a different type of dog, (hey ladies...) there still lies the question: Who let the dogs out?

 

Who has let the dogs out - of a loving protective home?

Who has let the dogs out - onto the streets?

 

The answer to those questions is: We...we human beings. We are the ones in some way responsible for all these dogs and animals being abused and abandoned.

 

I know here in Trinidad and Tobago, the relevant governmental authorities can, at times, be very relaxed with the dealing of stray animals. ( It has also  been stated that with the introduction of the Dangerous Dog Act, there appears to be an increased in the dumping of dogs onto the streets.)

However, apart from the Regional Corporations in the Ministry of Local Government, there are a number of  non-governmental organizations that can be contacted, which are dedicated  with improving the lives of  animals in this country, as follows:

 

Trinidad & Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA)

http://ttspca.org/Home.aspx

 

The Animal Welfare Network (Trinidad and Tobago)

http://www.animalwelfarenetwork.org/about.htm

 

Animal Alive

http://animalsalivett.com/index.html?page_id=2

 

In any small way, let us see how we can assist.

 

My neighbor has two dogs. One of them says to the other: "Woof!"

The other replies: "Moo!"

The first dog is perplexed. "Moo? Why did you say 'Moo'?"

The second dog says: "I'm trying to learn a foreign language."

Morey Amsterdam

  

Let us be try to kind and loving to to our dogs...to all our animals.
Let us try to do a good deed for them, at all times....

DOING A GOOD DEED FOR THE FUTURE

(GOOD DEEDS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE-OUR CHILDREN)

 

On Sunday mornings, I assist in the teaching of religious instructions to approximately twenty five (25) young persons in my Parish.  As part of this programme, this morning  (Sunday 22nd October)we all attended a retreat at Emmaus Centre, Arima.

During one of the sessions, the main speaker encouraged the young people to develop a deeper relationship with the Creator. She spoke about her own experiences at a young person, whereby she was confused and always felt like she did not belong. She told them that many times she had questions about her own religious beliefs.

We were then divided into smaller groups one of which I was the group-leader. The young people, feeling very comfortable with me, started to talk about their own life experiences. They were obviously undergoing many hurts and disappointments either from their families, friends or others in whom they had trusted.

As the session progressed, the majority of them were moved to tears (some were seen crying openly while others buried their faces in the palms of their hands.)

I, too, shared my own childhood experiences with them - my own past pains, insecurities and sufferings, so that they would know that I understood how they felt and that these feelings of confusion were just , I guess, part of the different stages of life.

We shared, hugged, prayed and cried and I gave them many positive affirmations. This ceremony was truly a time for releasing past experiences and focusing on inner healings.

 

 

As I departed, and remembered the day’s activities, I pondered on the number of the young persons who are either physically, emotionally or mentally abused; who are lonely, depressed and felt unloved by anyone. So many of them had no-one, or felt that they had no-one to turn to (no-one that they can trust); so many felt that there was nowhere they can go for support and counselling. Many of them were feeling so hopeless and full of fear for the future.

Our young people, well, our children (because they will always be our children) are crying out (for love), as RICHIE SPICE sings in his song: "CRYING FOR LOVE”

“Children are crying out for lov

crying out love.

Children r crying out for love

crying out love. 

Some need a guiding star dada

some need to cuddle in your arms

some need your time of day mama

cant face this Gideon on their own

 Children are crying out for love

crying out love.

Children r crying out for love

crying out love.”

 

These cries are beyond those coming from our children of birth or of our immediate families-

These cries are coming from our other children - the children in our communities who are being abused daily, the ones we pretend not to hear…the ones to which we turn a deaf ear.

These cries are coming from children at our schools - the ones who are being bullied and picked on daily and let us not forget the bullies, for they too are crying out. And we continue to turn a deaf ear.

 

These cries are coming from the children we see on our streets with nothing to eat, with no place to sleep. And again we turn a deaf ear.

Can we not hear their cries?

 

How long can we continue to ignore their cries?

Our young people, our children, are crying out (for love) and these cries are getting louder.

We, the adults need to extend our support: to inspire, to love, and to encourage our young people. We need to become more involved, more proactive where all of our children, our young people are concerned. There are many groups in our communities which focus on the youth  and in which we should make every effort to volunteer and participate.

 

This is the website of the Youth Organisation Directory, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, which provides a list of all the registered youth organisations in Trinidad and Tobago.

http://youthorgtt.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=1

 

Let us all get involved. These young people are our future, so do a good deed for them.

 

                                DO A GOOD FEED FOR THEIR FUTURE...OUR FUTURE....

 

 

 

 

 

 

DO A GOOD DEED TODAY, NO MATTER HOW SIMPLE.

 

This week my good deed involved a woman  who resides in one of the communities that fall under my purview as a Community Development Officer.  I shall call her Melda Jones. (Her name has been changed to help preserve anonymity.)

Melda is a cleaner at one of the Primary Schools, adjacent to the Community Centre that I visit regularly. Whenever I visited the area, I would see her diligently cleaning the school and she would just greet me with a shy smile and a slight wave of the hand.

One day, however, when I went to the Centre to perform my duties, I saw Melda at the back of the school crying. As we had never really spoken before I was a bit hesitant to approach her. However, when she raised her head, our eyes met, and I saw so much pain in them that I had no choice but to walk towards her.

 

I asked her very softly: ”Is everything ok?” She looked at me very sadly and through the tears started to talk. She was the eldest of five siblings (four sisters and one brother) and at the age of fourteen, her father had died and her mother, who was a seamstress by occupation, was unable to financially support the family.

 

So being the eldest, Melda, who was a Standard Five student at the time, had to terminate her studies to assist her mother in taking care of the family. She recalled that life was so difficult as she had to take odd jobs in the village, for example, washing, ironing and even at times babysitting for the neighbors.

 

She felt like she had sacrificed her life for her siblings, who were all now educated, gainfully employed and residing abroad (USA, England). Melda was the only one in Trinidad, taking care of the needs of her mother.

 

Her mother had recently gotten very ill and the entire family had returned to Trinidad. Of course, for many of us, we know what usually happens when family who are not generally close, have to come together. Life had become very stressful and painful for Melda.

 

I realized, listening to her that she suffered from low self esteem, considering herself as the black sheep of the family- uneducated, unmarried, unloved. She was an introvert and did not have much of a social life; apart from taking care of her mother and going to work, her only other activity was attending the  weekly services in church.

 

Melda spoke about her relationship with the rest of the family, whereby she would be insulted and belittled openly by them, because they considered themselves to be in a much better position, financially and otherwise, that she was.

 

Her mother would always support the other siblings, even though Melda was the one who was always at her side, fulfilling her every need. Melda suspected that her mother was too afraid to oppose the others for fear of losing the financial support that they provided.

 

Even though I am not a trained psychologist, I figured that what Melda wanted at this time was empathy, she wanted reassurance, she wanted someone to listen to her - without judging or condemning her. Which I did. For well over one hour Melda, through her tears, told me about her life.

And I listened.

 

As she had her Bible in her hand, I told her about a passage, that  was mentioned at last Sunday’s sermon.

Matthew 6:26-Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

 

I reminded Melda that she was a child of God, someone to be loved and respected. The circumstances in her life ( financial, social etc) did not matter. It was stated in that passage, that  if our Heavenly  Father would take care of some of his other creations, He would more than certainly take care of her.

I also told her that she was a beautiful person, no matter what her sisters said negatively about her. She should pray for and forgive them. I even, suggested to her that  whenever she felt confident enough, she should, in her usual soft-spoken way, remind them that she had assisted her mother in taking care of them after the death of their father.

She  just smiled at me.

 

I reflected on some of the words of the song "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera:

“I am beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
Oh no
So don't you bring me down today”

 

The next day, when I saw Melda, she was waiting for me at the entrance of the Community Centre. She was smiling.

 She reached out to hold my hand and said: “Thanks Mrs. Mahon, thanks for being there for me yesterday. Thanks for listening.”

 

 My good deed for this week was something simple, yet so beautiful. When it was needed, I had listened.

 

  Do a good deed today. No matter how simple.

 

DO A GOOD DEED FOR YOUR FAMILY TODAY.

DO A GOOD DEED TO THOSE WE TAKE FOR GRANTED- THOSE CLOSEST TO US (OUR FAMILY)

Friday morning, while I was getting ready for work, my nine year old daughter ran excitedly into my room, hiding a paper in her hand.  

As she tried to hug me, I just pushed her away snapping:- “GO AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS LATE!!!”  She left the room very disappointed and almost on the verge of tears. Later she came into the car very quiet and reserved.  However, as I was so late for work, I paid her no attention.

I then dropped them (she and her younger sister) off at their school and continued on my journey to the office. As I was now alone, I decided to listen to the radio. I heard the end of one of Stevie Wonder’s songs- THESE THREE WORDS -

“These three words

Sweet and simple

These three words

Short and kind

These three words

Always kindles.”

 

 I began to cry because I realized that many times I did take my family for granted, especially my beautiful girls.  I became even more emotional when I noticed the paper that my daughter had left in the car. The words on the paper were “I love you Mummy, you are the best mother in the whole wide world. xxx Love Alyssa xxx.”

I parked the car on the side of the road and I allowed all my emotions to just flow. I reflected on how I had treated my daughter. She wanted to do something nice to me (a good deed, in fact) but as I was so preoccupied with my preparation for work, I had missed that beautiful opportunity to enjoy a very precious moment with my daughter. I had taken her for granted and in fact my entire family because I made the assumption that they will always be there.  

I thought to myself:- “If I am not at work, I am at COSTAATT, or involved in several community and church activities. When was the last time I did something good (deed) for my family, especially my daughters.” This song had really ministered to me and I knew I had to spend some quality time with them.

When I returned  at the school in the afternoon, I hugged my daughter and apologized to her and on Saturday morning I took my two girls to see the movie – Hotel Transylvania 3D at Trincity Mall .

We then strolled through the Mall, played video games and had a meal at KFC (one of their favourite places). Later in the evening (Saturday) we all went to church.  They were just so happy to be around me.

It is very important to remember to always do at least one good deed (no matter how simple) to the persons closest to us – the individuals in our family. Somehow we always have a tendency to forget to acknowledge their presence. We assume they will always be there - not realizing that in just one moment they could could be gone forever.

  

                                            DO A GOOD DEED FOR YOUR FAMILY TODAY.