Language: English

There are some people helping with administrative and logistic things around the church, people who offer their time to help with daily tasks.

Some people might envy those persons for being, all the time, close to God.

On another hand, if you carefully look at the situation you might notice that while they’re always busy doing something, they rarely if ever have time to properly listen and pray in the church.

So close, no matter how far.

Same with NGOs.

I know people who dedicate their lives to helping others.

While that’s nice and noble, there are other ways in which you can have an even bigger impact – for example, getting resources doing other activities, and helping society with those resources.

I think working in an NGO is one of the noblest things one can do for others.

Still, there are even better solutions.

Note – I start here with the assumption that all things are equal: one has the same motivation working for an NGO as doing other tasks. If this isn’t the thing, one’s mileage might vary. This is not career advice, it’s just a thought on a possible solution for improving things. At times, my solution might fail.

Citește mai departePersons helping the church and volunteers within NGOs

I have a great deal of respect towards dr. Alexandru Pesamosca (deceased) and dr. Niculina Bratu (see this, in Romanian »).

Both of these people pretty much sacrificed their lives to the well of others.

It reminds of a scene in Schindler’s list (1993):

– I didn’t do enough!

– You did so much!

Think of it – there are/were people in this world who lived, mostly, for others’ good. That’s impressive!

Citește mai departeSchindler’s list: I didn’t do enough! You did so much!

Once, at my grandparents’ house in Buzău, I was sent into the village. I came back running, to overhear a conversation between my grandfather and my grandmother: “Olivian is a hardworking person. Wherever you send him, he goes.”

My grandfather didn’t use to say too many good things to my face. But when he made that confession to my grandmother, I knew he meant it.

Another memory is with a rather critical teacher from the 8^th grade, who, at least for a moment, I managed to impress.

I think people should say more good things one to another.

The only exception I can think of are monks, who prefer not to be praised.

Praising makes the world better, in my opinion.

I still think of moments when someone told something good about me, it feeds me, it’s a validation I need. I’m trying not to depend on this, but it happens naturally.

Also, don’t fake it. If you don’t mean praising, I wouldn’t do it. Say the truth, don’t just say things.

But if you focus on “What could I say good about this person?”, most likely you’ll come up with something.

Citește mai departePraise the praiser

I like this quote:

The only three things that matter:

• Relationships
• Health
• Purpose

(via Mike Crittenden »)

It reminds me of:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(John 14:6 NIV)

Here, relationships = truth, health = life, purpose = the way.

In the article quoted above, there are also priorities. Is there anything more important to you than those things? If so, is this a rational step?

I think there are multiple levels in life, and in some way or another, you fail to some degree on all of these. But, at the end of the day, you can do your best to achieve these goals, and it might be good for you.

Citește mai departeThings that matter

There is some hardware, like a nice keyboard or an ergonomic chair, which you can hardly test.

Sure, you can go into a store and see if you like it or not, start typing on the keyboard or lean back on the chair.

But how will you feel one week after using it? 3 months? One year?

I don’t think that first impressions are the best in these situations.

As I see it, you can only test if you don’t like some things like that – if you really hate the chair, if the keyboard annoys you a lot.

Citește mai departeTesting hardware – keyboard, chair