|
Trying to be Kind is Not That Easy |
Years ago when I was a child in Leighton
Buzzard in Bedfordshire my late mother asked me to help her
with an errand. Out came my young sister’s Silver Cross
pram which was now ready for the sale room, as she had out
grown it, and in to it my mother put a large bundle of my
neatly washed and ironed clothes. Off we went through the
town, me trying to avoid any of my school mates seeing me
push a pram, and we arrived at a poor looking terraced
house. Children were playing outside and we went up the
path, avoiding their aggressive looking dog, and were
greeted by a smiling slightly over large lady with a dirty
looking apron. The clothes were given to the lady without
fuss and she was overjoyed. Clothing rationing had just
finished and many families were still very poor after the
war. The clothes would soon be put to good use. As a family
we always helped where we could and shared what we had.
At an early age this taught me to help others
and throughout my life with the little resources we have had
on a Vicar’s pay no one has ever been refused help. Even
today I met a man in church down on his luck and I helped
him.
We have heard so much in recent days about
the ’Big Society’, and how communities will be asked to
care more and that there will be less government money for
projects. In many ways I have much sympathy for this new
approach because I do believe that we have moved away from
people in communities helping one another to being over
reliant on national and local government. If there is a
problem we tend to telephone the local council when in many
areas we can sort problems out ourselves.
Communities have always been full of people
helping and caring, from those who help in a charity shop to
others who drive for the elderly.
Recently I visited a lady who is over 80 and
she was surprised that her local neighbourhood had been so
kind when she was ill. I was not surprised because during
her lifetime Ann has helped everyone around her.
Somehow we must encourage the coming
generation to support the needy and be more self sufficient
and self reliant. Sadly over the years the state has taken
on work which should be done voluntarily by those in the
community.
The well known saying by President John F
Kennedy, ‘Ask not what your
country can do for you; ask what you can do for your
country’, is
surely good for every generation.
I believe that we must do all we can to help
the poor and bring people out of poverty and encourage as
many people as possible to contribute towards the nation. As
a very privileged person, in a very privileged job, I know
that I have a duty to help others. Through an initiative
this month in the August Beacon I may well have put my head
on a block. Read the Beacon for yourselves. Make your own
judgment. Some will agree with me, and some I know even
within my church totally disagree with and call me foolish.
But they still love me.............I don’t mind being
foolish if it helps others.
But I came from a very privileged background,
I had a wonderful education, was supported by wonderful
parents and grandparents and lived in stable home. I have a
lovely wife and two wonderful sons. This makes me only too
aware that my duty is to help others and especially those
who are and will struggle to pay their bills and provide
for their children. I know of many families on short time
and this may get worse.
Whilst I am Rector of Fakenham my primary
duty will be to the help the community and then the church,
and I know that the majority would not have it any other
way. I will not change now at 62 years of age.
Adrian Bell |
