Being a member a particular political party is not a prerequisite for population-we™. Becky and her husband, Brian, belong to different political parties and have different views on some political issues. I have shifted political views in some ways but am in many ways conflicted about politics. As people around the globe can view population-we™, we would encourage people to be good citizens in their own country. Becky has worked tirelessly to register voters and believes that everyone should exercise that vote. I have been friends with a married couple who follow this blog for many years where the husband is adamant that his wife vote although he knows her vote will in most cases cancel his out because he risked his life for that right serving in the military in the Middle East. I am not proud of my voting record as I have missed many elections but feel it important to express the passion of Becky Bohan Brown and also affirm that I do think it is an important right to exercise. I know it is humbling to think of other Nations where people may risk their lives to vote and have a higher voting rate than USA. population-we™ welcomes people of all religious faiths. Becky, Brian and I are all Christian but we belong to different denominations. All major religions have tenets of their faith that if followed can lift the lives of the members and make them better neighbors and citizens. We invite people to worship according to the dictates of their own conscience.
We are about character and that is not something that is something that no religion or political party has a corner on that I have seen. Being a good neighbor, employee, sister, brother, son, daughter, mother, and father are roles that hopefully define us at population-we™. Kindness is a far more important attribute for our members than being considered “cool” by society standards. I read a blog at Psychology Today that personality has a lot to do with genetics while character is a choice.
I am not sure if we can boil the nature versus nurture question down to such a level. Yet, I agree with the gist of the article that we may perceive a certain personality such as someone who is outgoing as being a good person when it really takes time to see a person’s character. I do believe that we make choices every day that can help us build character and that we have control over our identity in character building. I recognize that some are more naturally cheerful or may struggle with some areas. However, we all have our strengths and our weaknesses. While overall, optimism is encouraged, we have room for those who may have pessimistic inclinations. I had a high school teacher that said pessimists are good in a crisis as they were expecting something to go wrong.
We do not surrender our individuality here at population-we™. While we are many, we value the one. While we encourage being active in giving back, we know some feel an affinity for special needs children while others may have a real gift with the elderly. People can give back in so many ways whether it be teaching computer skills or cleaning a city park. What makes you who you are is valued here. I enjoy finding out ways that people are both like me and different from me.
Self-absorption is an inclination that we try to overcome at population-we™. There is an adage that as you lose yourself in service that you will find yourself. I am not sure all of implications of that statement. I do believe that one can find a great deal of happiness as they strive to serve others without thought for reward or to be noticed.
Finding our purpose in life is not an easy one for many. I know that Becky has felt in her heart of hearts that writing is one of her gifts. When she was contemplating whether or not Journalism was the right degree for her in college, she felt a peace. She is also very talented in working with people on committees. It is pretty amazing really to me that my little sister of sand box days and dressing up our Barbie dolls has such responsibilities. When she works with groups, she is quick to recognize where people make a contribution just as she has when she plays sports.
I sometimes wonder if someone might play a game of counting every time we use the word “I” at population-we™. Being community minded, doesn’t mean that we don’t have our individual experiences that shape us or our stories to share to bring to the community. I think one of the neatest things about getting to know people is to find out how we are a like and different in life. I love having a diverse group of friends and hope for such a community here.
We are not about judging others when we say that we want to bring back the values. I think that there is much goodness in the world. We should try not to take ourselves too seriously. As we try to put ourselves in other people’s shoes, we will hopefully become less self-absorbed.
Of course, none of us are perfect and that is all the more reason why we need each other for reinforcement and support. Some refer to positive peer pressure to the type of pressure to do the right thing. While it is best to do things from the heart, sometimes we all need that encouragement. If I didn’t know so many wonderful people that I would like to emulate, I do not know if I would make some of the strides that I do in doing good. Having the lens of population-we™ has been a wonderful reminder to me since its inception about six months ago. Becky has a vision for population-we™ and the amazing good that can come from this work. If you want to support one another in and try to bring out the good in each other, this is the place for you. We need you and we are glad to have you!
– population-we™ blog post by Barb Bohan
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