There's an H&R Block commercial... As the mail carrier delivers the mail, a homeowner asks him if he has to mail in his taxes since he's a mail carrier. The man responds, "I have people." To which the homeowner replies, "You have people?! I want people!"
Don't we all? We know if we "have people"...people with money...people with power...people with influence... people with more education... things get done. It's all about who you know.
But isn't our real desire to not just *have* people, but to *be* people??
In low-income communities you often have to have "people" for basic services to get done. Apartment repairs are slow, principals/teachers are too busy, streets have no drainage, police respond hours after the 9-1-1 call....until someone [with money, power, education, and possibly a well-known name] steps in.
Why can't people be enough just because of who they are...a parent...a concerned citizen...a frustrated citizen lacking basic city services?
It frustrates me.
I have noticed over the years that people with less education, less money, less power, speak up less. Not because they have anything less to say....not because they are any less intelligent...but often because they don't get listened to.
Who do you listen to?
Do you take time to listen to the opinions of people who look different than you...make less than you...work for you...have a job that society deems as not as important? Or...do you brush people aside...maybe unintentionally...unless they strike you as "important?"
Isn't it nice to know that when you speak, people listen? When other people speak, do you listen?
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