Bad and Good Samaritans

    Water is scarce along the Appalachian Trail. A drought prevails. Thirst afflicts hikers more so than on typical years.
     Last week in New England, I day hiked along that trail. Good and bad sides of human behavior revealed themselves.
    First the bad side: While visiting a lean-to shelter, I read a message written by one hiker to her peers: Here's a photo of that note (with an identifying road name deleted):

    How could someone deny water--the font of life--to fellow human beings in need? How selfish. The reality that more than one hiker has knocked on that homeowner’s door is no excuse.
    Now the good side: I came upon a collection of water bottles (seen in the bottom photo). A Good Samaritan, I was told, had placed them there for hikers.
    People who lend assistance to others derive happiness from their generosity. Research proves that fact. That Good Samaritan probably lives a happy life.
     I doubt that selfish homeowner lives happily. Her heart is a stone. She probably suffers from a self inflicted depression.
    Generosity implies happiness whereas selfishness implies unhappiness.

When Slower is Better

    I met a backpacker in North Carolina. He was hiking on the Appalachian Trail. He had walked over two thousand miles—an adventure of a lifetime. The conclusion was near. He would soon ascend a final summit.
    This man expressed one regret. He never should have hiked at a fast pace. Quickness diminished the quality of his adventure.
     The same can be said about life. Moving fast leads to productivity. The more we produce, the more we earn. But there’s a flip side to achievement. Too much productivity—and too much speed—dilute our lives of meaning.

Busting their Humps

Ecuadorian immigrant labors on a roof in my town.

    Most roofing laborers, at least in this part of the nation, are immigrants. Many come from Ecuador. I had assumed they gravitated to roofer jobs because they are shorter in height than average, which means they’re less apt to fall.

    Turns out, there’s another explanation.
    Four Ecuadorians replaced shingles on a roof in my town. Their work ethic impressed me. Hour after hour, they toiled under hot conditions.
    I spoke to a contractor who hired this crew of Ecuadorians. He told me that shortness of height had nothing to do with their prevalence in the roofing trade. He hired them because American born workers won’t perform roofing jobs. The work is too hard for them.
    Back when I was a boy, American born white guys hammered shingles on roofs. They weren’t immigrants. And they weren’t adverse to busting their humps.
    Does a widespread aversion to hard labor indicate a nation in decline?

Ecuadorian wears wide brimmed hat for protection from sun.

Is Joy Temporary?

     Green to white. Firemen, entertaining children in my town, hosed water and foam upon a grassy area. Kids frolicked in a churn of whiteness. They shouted with joy.
    I looked up the definition of joy. Equivalent words appeared up such as gaiety, bliss, and delight. Those words suggest brief episodes of emotion.
    But does joy happen only in fleeting moments?
    Consider a definition of joy by a pastor named Rick Warren:’ Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.’
    Warren’s joy is long term.  
    Joy isn’t only about moments of happiness, joy can also be an enduring state of happiness.

Does Home Size Affect Togertherness?

Home buyers in Massachusetts visits a construction site for small homes. I took this photo 35 years ago.

   Small houses, like the ones in the photo, are rarely built anymore. Developers construct bigger homes. Profits are greater. And people—well, some people—can afford these larger dwellings.
    House sizes in the nation have doubled during the last four decades. At the same time, family sizes have shrunk.
    Bigger homes with fewer occupants—this trend strikes me as hurtful to family life. Excessive space in a home encourages family members to sequester themselves.
    For several years, I’ve strolled each evening by some large houses. Blue lights used to flicker in several windows per house. These lights originated from personal computers. People were online in separate rooms.
    Those families weren’t hanging out together.
    Nowadays, blue lights don’t flicker in multiple windows. The flickering usually comes from one room—a family room—with a large screen television.
    This change doesn’t mean family members are gathered together watching television. They’re still sequestering themselves in separate rooms. What’s different is that personal computers have given way to smartphones.
    Not everyone lives in oversized homes. Lots of families still reside in modest homes. 
    I suspect that families in modest dwellings are knit tighter than families in large homes.

Faith in Common

    The only words I understood were ‘Ave-Maria.’ It meant ‘Hail Mary.’ Portuguese-Americans proceeded behind a statue of the Blessed Mother. They recited The Rosary. It happened yesterday at a shrine near my home.
    A Portuguese woman approached my elderly mother. The woman said something in her native tongue. Mom, of Polish heritage, did not understand.
    The Portuguese woman lifted her rosary beads. Attached to them was a figurine of Jesus. The woman kissed it. She presented the figurine to Mom. Right away, Mom leaned down and kissed it. Afterwards, the two women smiled at each other.
    The language barrier didn’t matter. Those woman shared in common their Catholic faith.
    Fellowship is one reason why religious people score high in happiness surveys.