The firemen were on ladders and the roof this past Saturday when unknown butane gas in a building in the “Little Tokyo” section of L.A. exploded. Those on the roof and ladder had to escape through a ball of fire. The heat was so intense that it melted the men’s helmets and their coats caught on fire.

Eleven men were burned with two of them in the ICU. Two hundred thirty firefighters responded. One of them said he was worried about the poor people who lived there and in adjoining “skid row.” Where will they live now? Even when in mortal danger, he was thinking of others.

We must always pray for and be forever grateful for those “who run to danger.”

These include all public servants, medical professionals, grocery clerks, meat packers and many others.

If not today, when?

You may think that is a dumb question to ask considering all the threats out there.

Ok, so you’re worried. What are you doing about it? There is always an upside and a downside to most events that occur in your life. The upside with the pandemic is newfound personal free time at home.

Here are important statistics that may help you emerge from this more valuable to potential employers:

60% of the top 25% of earners are continuing to do their work from home with no interruption in earnings. 20% of the bottom 25% of earners are continuing to do their work from home with no interruption in earnings.

So, the world of employment is leaping into remote, online jobs and not looking back. They have discovered that they don’t need to pay high rent for offices.

Are you prepared?

If not today, when?

I saw two headline stories today.

Rich people are moving out of New York City in search of homes in small towns. They prefer homes in counties with fewer than 10,000 residents. This is, of course prompted by the tremendous loss of life in NYC.

The other headline was on the front page of today’s New York Times. The photo and story is about the incredible, inescapable density of the people who live in the slums of Mumbai, India. They do not have the financial means of escaping to a less dense location.

So, there you have it!

It’s the never ending story of those who live lives of privilege with many options available and those who live desperately day to day with no alternatives.

Is there something you can do about this unfair situation in your town?

If not today, when?

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called it “sheer evil!”

Numerous gunmen dressed as police officers attacked a maternity hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday. Twelve mothers and two newborn babies were among the dead.

One of the mothers, who lives in a remote village, had been waiting seven years to become pregnant. Her husband brought her to this hospital because of its expertise in delivering newborns.

Although she survived the massacre, her baby did not!

After the nine month pregnancy, she had him for one hour. The child is being returned to its hometown for burial.

I never cease to be amazed at the depths of cruelty the human race can create for the suffering of others who are often complete strangers.

To atone for this outrage, let’s all reach out in kindness to someone!

If not today, when?

People who don’t know someone still waves to that person.

I’m seeing it happen more frequently. It is a phenomenon I’ve never experienced before in my 78 years of life. Well, the reason is very obvious. For the first time in the history of humans, we all share something in common.

We all have the threat of dying soon brought about by the same cause, Covid 19.

Yes, this terrible disease is bringing us closer together than any other event in history. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that our black and brown brothers and sisters are dying at an alarming rate that far surpasses their percentage of the population. One of the reasons is that many of them are forced to go to work and serve customers who transmit the virus to them.

Pray for them!

If not today, when?

 

Many years ago, our church sponsored a large family escaping the horrors of the Cambodian War. While running through the killing fields on their way to Laos, one of their family members was killed.

Upon arriving in Detroit, they did not speak English and were completely disoriented with their new society. One of the church members gave the father of the family a job in a machine shop. He rode a bicycle to and from work even in the snow and rain.

After saving their money, they bought a donuts shop. Again, they saved enough money to buy a donuts shop in Los Angeles where it was a warmer climate. All their children obtained masters degrees from USC.

They are now quite wealthy and contributing members of society.

Our grandparents were immigrants. Salute those who built America!

If not today, when?

Well, we were sitting in the family room one day last week with my wife and our dog “Happy” on one coach and I was seated on the other coach.

When out of the blue, she said, “I feel like hugging you!” I was was very touched by her spontaneous remark after 56 years of marriage. So, I replied, “Gee, that’s nice.”

And she responded, “I meant the dog!”

As you can see, life goes on. Have a good day  and I hope someone feels like hugging you or your dog!

If not today, when?

 

 

 

 

Well, we were sitting in the family room one day last week with my wife and our dog “Happy” on one coach and I was seated on the other coach.

When out of the blue, she said, “I feel like hugging you!” I was was very touched by her spontaneous remark after 56 years of marriage. So, I replied, “Gee, that’s nice.”

And she responded, “I meant the dog!”

As you can see, life goes on. Have a good day  and I hope someone feels like hugging you or your dog!

If not today, when?

A recent study of Detroit students, K-12, showed that 90% of them do not have access to internet connected devices.

An organization called Connected Futures will provide all 51,000 students with connected devices, household internet and technical support by June. Those students and their family members will have internet access and much better learning opportunities.

I spent three years in a Detroit high school in the years 2010-2012. At that time, none of the students had textbooks of their own. They had to pull their desks together and use one textbook for two students. Those books remained in the classroom.

In addition to all the struggles of living in Detroit, the kids were getting an inferior education when compared to their suburban peer group.

It appears that a small part of the unfairness of their lives is being corrected!

If not today, when?

Which of them must change temporarily or permanently?

Medical experts are saying that this pandemic will be here for three years. So, which of your previous habits are in need of alteration or elimination?

Maybe, you know just a little about the digital world and have been able to get by with email and texting. That will have to change.

Many employees are doing their office work from home because of the virus. Employers will move as many tasks as possible to the digital world and you must have the expertise to perform those tasks.

Use this time to become more computer literate. Take online classes or hire a tutor. Do something to make your skills more valuable in order to compete for jobs!

Forget your old habits if they will leave you unprepared for the future.

If not today, when?