Just Because!

To Our Local Veterans

By DR. Chuck

This is the fourth in a series of articles and information for our Veterans in Hawaii

Where have all the Veterans gone!

With the passage of time I find more and more veterans in need of help and too often we have folks out there giving bum scoop and claiming to care about their fellow veterans.

When we truly give, and it is from the heart then we do so without the expectation of something in return. Please do not misunderstand, we as do others that willingly and gladly give of their time and resources to help do need financial assistance, but those giving must be desirous of giving and because they care about the welfare of others!

Times are hard for many of us, and too often we fear our ability to provide for the physical security needs of our loved ones and ourselves. I can through personal experience assure you that when you give from the heart your needs will somehow be provided. I am not saying all your wants, but your needs. We as Americans too often confuse our wants with our needs and allow ourselves to get down and even depressed when we do not get what we felt was a need.

Recently, I lost several thousand dollars trying to help someone that needed to get home for what they claimed was a dying parent. The initial thought was to quit helping and crawl away in my little cubby hole of the world in a life of limited association, but after the initial shock, then anger, depression and finally acceptance I picked up the pieces and began moving forward again striving not to become skeptical and callous. This is when I forced myself to appreciate that in this world we will have that small percentage that will take advantage, but we must keep ever present in our hearts and minds that many more out there and especially on our beautiful Island truly need the help and are very Thankful for it.

It always amazes me how it is though that have the least tend to give the most, but I guess that is my lot in this life, I will possibly never be financially rich, but the rewards I get from helping others far out weighs the monetary rewards.

For those of us who served, and especially for those of us who served in combat and shed our blood, freedom has a taste the protected can never know, in order to truly live life and know the things that are most important we must has almost lost life. For many of us who suffer the disease and symptoms of PTSD and Depression due to our experience and exposure to a world many will never know, it is difficult to keep in mind and focus on all the beauty that surrounds us, after all we paid the price to be able to take the time to appreciate all this. Life is short, and temporal as is everything in and of this world we know as Mother Earth, try to take a moment each day to tell those we love that we love them, pet a dog or smell a flower, but most of all, give yourself this gift of closing out all adversity and taking just a moment to be inspired by its beauty.

If you desire to make a donation, you can always contact me at 966-5092 or write to PO Box 1437, Kurtistown, Hawaii 96760, or email to:asktherev@flex.com. Please remember all donations are tax deductable as we are a non-profit 501 ( c) 3 organization strictly to help those in need.This holds true as well if you need assistance in filing a claim with the Veterans Administration or social security.

From the Heart,
Chuck