Don't Let Me Down

Trying to start up this blog again. It's really hard to find the time when you work about seventy hours a week. But I feel like it's important, especially because I have all day long as I drive a mail truck around to think about stuff and it would be nice to get some of those thoughts out of my head. There have been a lot of changes in my life and I would like to start sharing some of those changes and some of those thoughts.

I don't get to watch very many commercials; we made the decision several years ago to ditch DirectTV and just do Netflix and Amazon Prime. One good thing about it is that you don't have to see all the really dumb commercials, especially the local ones that are so bad, like "Uncle Jimmy's Mattress Land" or "Si's Used Car Lot". But you do miss out on some really good ones.

My new favorite commercial is from State Farm. It features a song that is my daughter's and my jam - "Don't Let Me Down" by the Chainsmokers and Daya. But it isn't the original song, it's a remake by the wonderful and talented Joy Williams. Joy was one half of the musical artist The Civil Wars which was one of my favorites until tragically they broke up after only two albums. Joy had a solo career before The Civil Wars, and she has one now. I love her voice and I love the remakes she has done (go youtube search "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran redone by her. It's amazing).

Anyway, here's the video:


As you can see, it's about a guy who is thinking about volunteering, about doing something, about making a difference, but hasn't pulled the trigger. So all these people and animals in need follow him around during his day. At the end, he finally decides to go ahead and take the next step.

Great video. Great concept. Great song.

Why is it that we struggle with making a difference? Of stepping out of our comfort zone?

Scratch that.

Let me change the pronoun. Because I'm really good at making sweeping generalizations, which isn't fair. You may already be volunteering or helping out at twenty-seven different places. So let me restart.

Why is that I struggle with making a difference? Of stepping out of my comfort zone?

I have all the excuses in the world. I work six days a week and usually five nights a week. I get four hours of sleep a night. My feet hurt from being a mailman. Blah blah blah.

Here's the thing. Everyone can make a difference. In little ways or big ways.

We have sponsored a little girl through World Vision for ten years now. We love Clementine. So why can't I take five minutes out of one of my days and send her a letter saying that we love her and we hope she's doing well?

I have spent a lot of time fighting human trafficking over the years. I've been out of it for a couple. Why can't I take a little bit of time and do something? I know it's still a cause that is meaningful to me.

I love animals. Why can't I take a few hours a month and volunteer at a shelter? Because it makes me sad that these pets haven't been adopted? Won't me being there just a little bit brighten up their day? I mean, I'm already "that mailman that stops and pets dogs and cats," so why can't I do that at a shelter?

It's time to give up the excuses and do something.

It reminds me of that really cheesy song called Thank You by Ray Boltz, where he envisions going to heaven and having people come up to him to tell him how he impacted their lives by doing little things. Maybe there's another line in heaven where all the people and animals we didn't help are waiting to express their disappointment and how we had the chance but didn't impact them at all.

Like I said, I have a lot of time on my hands to think while I'm driving and delivering mail. Ha.

Here's the thing, without getting too much into changes that have been happening in my life (those stories are for another time): because I believe even more strongly now that the one life we have here to live on this earth is even more important, can I let that belief inspire me to make a difference, so that I don't have a group of people and polar bears follow me around in my mind, saying "Don't let me down?"

I hope so.