By Richard Weinstein, President & COO
Ocean Reef Community Foundation
It happens in the grocery store, it happens on the road, it can sometimes even happen at the front gate. You pick the wrong line or lane and next thing you know everyone around you is zipping on by while you are stagnant. You had a choice, you chose poorly. Now with mild frustration you have to make one of the most important decisions of the day, as noted in the 1982 rock song by The Clash, you have to now decide, “should I stay or should I go?”
Changing lanes or lines is sometimes a great strategy but how many times have you finally shifted lanes to quickly find yourself at a complete stop and had to watch the lane you just left finally starting to move while you now sit there and ponder that same question once again…
Now I know there are some of you reading this and wondering what I am even talking about. My wife is one of those people. She is pretty content in any line or lane and just goes with the flow not even noticing that the person in front of us is way over their 12-item limit or that the lane next to us is flowing freely while our tires are melting in place on the pavement. She is also never rushed sufficiently that she can’t take additional time to thank a toll booth operator (the few that are left in that job) or engage in pleasant conversation with a check out person.
Despite these two very different approaches to waiting, it seems we both still wind up in the same place together at the same time. Her journey is a pleasant, relaxing stroll through life, while mine is a sometimes-frustrating venture. I think it comes down to her recognition that there are other people in the world and sometimes they are just going to be in front of you.
One of our Past Chairman for All Charities had a wonderful sign off in her email, you may recognize who I am talking about just from this sign off. “Be kind…for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about” and coming to that realization, a little extra time in line becomes pretty insignificant. What is significant is that the Ocean Reef Community Foundation and the All Charities Gala provide the kind of support through our Community Grants to help so many fight a myriad of different battles.
Will participating in All Charities or opening a Donor Advised Fund reduce traffic or shorten those lines? Of course not, if anything, the organizations applying for grants grows each year and the need is never fully satisfied. But every year and every time we help, there are lives we impact that make that battle a little easier. Whether it is a scholarship for the next nursing student who will someday work with Baptist Hospital or transportation from Florida City to Downtown Miami Jackson Memorial, for a mother to be with her prematurely born child, they are the ones patiently waiting in line and with your help we can make THAT line move much faster.
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