Leading By Example

Do you know how many people who can give blood actually do?
Would you believe… 5 percent.
Do you know how often people in the United States need blood?
It’s estimated… every 2 seconds.
Those are the figures I ran across on Monday when I donated at the blood center located a mile and a half from my home.
Given those statistics, it’s no surprise there is a chronic blood shortage in our country and elsewhere in the world.
Donating blood is something I have done for years. Every four months or so, the folks at the center call me and ask me to come in. I’m always happy to do it and since my days off are Mondays and Tuesdays, it’s easy for me to do so.
On this particular day, workers at the center told me the red blood cells I gave would help two adult trauma victims or six infants in need. All for just an hour of my time.
The blood donation reminded me of the civic duties that are relatively effortless to perform but seem to be getting shoved to the side in our busy society.
It’s something I’d like to see our country return to and something I think Baby Boomers could help re-establish.
Many of us have some extra time now, especially those of us who have raised our children and those of us are either semi-retired or retired. In addition, there seems to be a desire percolating through our generation to return to our activism roots of the 1960s.
I suggest we act upon these inclinations. It would be refreshing to once again think less about ourselves and more about our society as a whole. And there are enough of us, so with concerted effort, we can steer the nation in that same direction. Simply by leading by example.
Giving blood is a good start. A flood of Baby Boomers heading to the blood centers would not only boost the sagging supply of that precious liquid; it also would set a precedent for the younger generations to follow.
However, let’s not stop there. We can ignite a movement of community betterment in many ways. We can do this on an individual level, on a daily basis, in some small yet effective ways.
*Return to citizenship. How quickly many of us have forgotten this lofty goal. It was a cornerstone of the youth movement of the 1960s. Let’s return to this mind set. Adopt a wider perspective, one with long-term sensibilities. A good first step is for Baby Boomers to start showing up at the polls again. Voting is the ultimate act of citizenship and we’ve done, at best, a mediocre job of it. Joining a neighborhood or volunteer effort wouldn't hurt either.
*Mentoring. We can all use advice and guidance, no matter what our age. But it seems the younger people in our society are almost crying out for it. This is a scary world to live in. Take the time to help someone from another generation through the twists, turns and bumps of life.
*Be well-mannered. There are an array of ways to exhibit this benevolent behavior. Perhaps the most important method is to address people politely, no matter how they are talking to you. It’s amazing how the quality of an exchange can change if one person adopts a cordial demeanor. Our conversations can morph from confrontational to civil. It wouldn't hurt to smile while we're practicing politeness. That seems to be a lost art in our civilization.
The list goes on and on. Taking care of the environment. Spending time with our elderly parents. Not littering. Picking up trash left by someone else. Opening the door for another person.
These suggestions might seem simplistic, maybe even naïve. But if we, as the largest generation in our country, adopt them, it could start a wave of humanism across our land.
A trip to the blood center might be the best way to start this journey. Help someone you don’t know and will never meet.
Help change our “me” society into a “we” society.