Recently, I had the uplifting experience of finding a lot of home-made food dropped off at my porch by a lodge brother. This brother was one of many to reach out after discovering that my wife was having some health challenges. The food was intended to be one “small” way of lightening our household’s load, as Julie moved closer toward complete recovery.
In a time of multiplying needs, not just for our family, but for many, I’m reminded of how powerful, inspiring, and important, this kind of personal caring, and action can be.
Providing intentional help and kindness, to meet the needs of others, requires
- The strength to see other humans as your community, and to treat them as such.
- The humility to realize that misfortune befalls us all, and the one in comfort today, might be the one in need tomorrow.
- The faith to trust that there will still be enough for the giver, if they release some of what they have, to lift up another.
- And the courage to reject the lies that kindness is weakness, or that success is only achieved at the expense of others, with a hard heart, and a closed hand.
For all that caring and kindness requires of us, the returns are beyond measure. Because one of those many returns is the restoration of hope. In times when aggression, hatred, and deception call out loudly for our attention, and awe, offers of aid restore our hope, and our faith in one another. Mutual aid reminds us of our capacity, with all of our varied talents and resources, to be there for one another in times of personal need. These thoughtful actions also remind us to tap into our own higher human nature, a nature that centers friendship, love, and truth!
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Great article. Thank you.
My Lodge has been focusing on Mutual Aid a lot as part of our revival. It’s more critical now than it has been since the Great Depression. The Odd Fellows is an institution which is perfectly designed to build the strong, supportive communities we all need right now.
In addition to food deliveries for sick/distressed members, and an increased focus on member relief (we’ve paid for members’ veterinarian bills and security deposits), we are kicking around a number of ideas to expand Mutual Aid for members:
— Contracting with a nurse who can provide basic care and advice to Lodge members. Someone who can answer the basic “do I really need to go to the ER for this?” questions.
— Establishing a housing co-op fund. The Lodge could purchase housing and rent it out to members in need at below market rate.
— Formalizing a skill share system. Members would register any useful skills they have with the Lodge, and offer those at low/no cost to members who need help with that skill. Everything from IT help to carpentry to graphic design to navigating health insurance disputes.
We’ll see where it goes, but we’re all really passionate about Mutual Aid as a core part of our Lodge in the future.
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