Secret Service
Looking back to my childhood I can remember how my parents demonstrated the importance of service in their lives. My dad often would repeat “see the need” which was his way of saying, look for a need then go and do something about it. We lived in a low income neighborhood that was not up kept very well. However, this only helped my parents find easy opportunities to serve. It was not uncommon for them to wake us up early while it was still dark to go pull a neighbor’s weeds or trim bushes on our block. I remember the example my dad set as he would occasionally stay up late to go paint over vandalism which would pop up from time to time on the walls throughout the alley system behind the houses. My parents knew each of the neighbors on the block and made sure to have us check in on those that might need assistance or just a simple invite to thanksgiving dinner. On more than one occasion I witnessed tears brought to the eyes of neighbors who I would never had suspected would be moved by such simple acts of service.