Imagine for a second you were born with immense inherited wealth.
"Some people are born on third base and think they've hit a triple."
When I first heard that italicized phrase used to describe George Bush senior in the late 80's, I snickered with self-righteousness. To this day, in the midst of an unthinking polemic rant, that stinging remark still slips off my tongue periodically.
But once reason returns, the only thing I know is that I really don't know how a privileged birthright would have shaped me. The noble Pat fancies himself an unmitigated philanthropist, giving it away as fast as his ancestors acquired it. This is who I flatter myself I'd be. But unless faced with those exact circumstances, how can I know who I would have become? More significantly, what have my actions so far in my unprivileged life said about my charitable instincts?
Another continuum, another bell curve. There are those who give nothing to others, to whom charity is a dirty word. There are those who give of themselves and their resources completely, to whom charity is a calling. And then there's me, on the bell curve again.
About Me
- Pat Barton
- My most recent single release - "My True North" - is now available on Bandcamp. Open my profile and click on "audio clip".
I feel compelled to add that the article was written for a Catholic publication, and so the editing process took my words which included all humanity and altered them to limit the call of service to Catholics and Christians...I believe the message is the same for all of us regardless of religious convictions. Perhaps fodder for another post? How much are you willing to give to get published? haha!
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d; I'm looking forward to reading your article. As soon as I do, I'll use your e-mail to communicate with you about it.
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