OKC Kayak Word Soup

No matter what the political affiliation or values that guide your beliefs are, one thing that everyone can agree upon, is that a little change for the better would benefit this great country.  Plenty of change is currently on the auction block in exchange for your loyalty in the upcoming presidential contest.  As we all know, it is far too easy to become disenchanted with all the tricky political games and ploys.  Far too often we throw up our hands in despair, only to claim that there is nothing that we as the common man and woman can do.  I too, find myself resigning to accept whatever happens in a fatalistic way of thinking.

A little over a year ago, I had the great privilege of seeing the renound conservation biologist, Jane Goodall speak.  As a biologist and naturalist myself, I had great awareness of the incredible contributions this woman had made working with chimpanzes, long before she arrived at her speaking engagement in Oklahoma City.  However, two things did catch me quite off guard.  The first thing that shocked me was the fact that her message was not so much about species and habitat protection, as it was a care and love for humanity and our world in general  This woman seemed to possess a vast knowledge and greater understanding of the many significant challenges of modern society, whether it be social or environmental.  The second message that short circuited my reality, was her message of hope.  As she succintly put it, through advances in technology, and grass roots efforts by the common man around the world, we do have reason to be optimistic about our future.
This optimism came with an invitation for each and every one of us to make a difference.  I now pass this invitation along to each one of you.  Would you please help me in making this community a little bit nicer, a little more accepting, a little less selfish, a little closer as a community?  My promise to all my fellow paddlers has been to make OKC Kayak, first and foremost, a place of fellowship for all.  With your help, we seem to be heading in the right direction.

Now, meet Jennifer.  Jennifer started kayaking with us early this summer.  If you are challenged with the names, she is the gal with the hot pink Venus Ocean Kayak.  Jen is a hardworking and intelligent gal, making her career in the Air Force.  Her kindness and wit has done more than a little for adding to the fellowship at social paddles and many other outings.  She regularly and continually has jumped at the call to help out at community events and other volunteer activities.  Now she could use a little help.

This young woman recently received the unexpected word that her squadron was being deployed to Iraq.  Needless to say, this is a lot for anyone to handle, much less a frightened young gal living alone in a city, far from any family.  This is where we come in.  We, as her friends, are her defacto family, and I believe it is our job to do what we can to take care of her.  Let me make one thing clear, this is not an undertaking of charity or a gift to alleviate hardships caused by extraordinary circumstances (although both are worthy causes).  This is simply our opportunity to say, “Hey Jen, we are going to take care of you simply because you are our neighbor and friend, and you have a need that we can fulfill for you.”

Jen leaves in two days, and that is when I propose we go to work to start helping her get a few much needed Honey Do items taken care of around her house.  She has been responsible with her money and used this to purchase her own home, but has been at a bit of a loss to handle some of the issues of maintenance and upkeep all on her own.  She literally was near tears when describing her inability to take care of regular items that most of us might take for granted such as changing light bulbs, much less the care of her home while away on leave.   I purposely have been waiting for her to depart because all of her tears of sentiment and appreciation might make for a slippery trip hazard.

I, along with Doris and Tom Stone, and many of you in our kayaking “family” have committed to helping her not only look after her house, but to get a few things spruced up as well.  I met with Jen this week, getting a punch list of needed maintenance items as well as a set of keys.  Now it is time to go to work.  I am proposing a work day or two while she is gone.  If you have skills as a plumber or electrician, great.  (Joe the plumber, bring your license with you!)  But, even if you can only work a paint brush, a shovel, or a set of hedge clippers, we need you.  Lets pull together to not only help Jen out, but to set an example of community fellowship. The first work day planned is Sunday, November 23.  Call me at the kayak shop 405.830.9689 if you can help out on this day or another.

My beliefs are that this is how the true change in our world will happen.  Lets do our part, simply because our friends and neighbors are in need.  Maybe it is the divorced mother who no longer has to call a handyman to hang photos on the wall, because the next door neighbor took care of this.  Or, perhaps the lonely man who used to sit at home finding friendship in a bottle will instead find someone to accept and befriend him no matter his quirks or faults.  The examples I could present are endless.  The point is, imagine how much closer we can be as families or as a communtiy as a whole.  Who knows, then Democrats, Independents, and Republicans can argue less about social assistance programs and the many other ails of society that you and I could head off with our offers of friendship.  True social assistance never comes in the form of a check anyway.