“At the end of life, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, but by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat.’” – Mother Teresa
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Health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon criticized the behavior of Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph G. Recto, asserting that it is inappropriate for him to lead the financial stewardship of the Philippines.
“Secretary Recto’s pattern of behavior – elitist, ant-health, and fiscally opaque – makes him unfit to lead the nation’s financial stewardship,” he said.
Dr. Leachon’s reaction relates to Recto’s response to Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go’s request to the secretary not to include PhilHealth in the budget cuts, to which Recto replied: “I agree totally. Ang pakiusap ko sa inyo, ‘wag ninyo kaming utusan!”
Some people agree with what Dr. Leachon said. They claimed Recto’s response was unbecoming of a public servant.
In American politics, some Hollywood celebrities were involved in politics. To name a few: Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sonny Bono, Melissa Gilbert, and Jack Kemp.
In the early 1960s, with the civil rights movement in particular, a few actors and singers such as Joan Baez, Harry Belefonte, Marlon Brando, Bob Dylan, Charlton Heston, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman and others were involved in the political arena. In fact, some lent their name or provided financial support; others joined marches and demonstrations.
In the twenty people that were listed in President Richard Nixon’s enemy list, Hollywood actor Paul Newman was one of them. Newman was one of Hollywood’s beloved actors who appeared in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. He won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in The Color of Money.
He never became a Congressman or a Senator but he knew what serving others was about. There were several stories about his kindness and how he helped those who were less privileged.
I learned of a story that took place on Christmas Eve in 1983. Newman entered a shelter in Manhattan dressed in a simple navy sweater and carrying two wooden crates. Outside, the snow was falling heavily. Inside, the volunteers were already in a state of panic. They lacked sufficient food to serve the long queue of individuals waiting at the entrance. The pots were nearly empty, the trays of bread were depleting, and the atmosphere was thick with the weight of failure.
Newman placed the crates down silently. Within them were vegetables, jars, and flour sourced from his farm in Connecticut. “Where is the kitchen?” he inquired, rolling up his sleeves. A few individuals froze upon realizing his identity, but Newman did not pause for their acknowledgment. He proceeded directly to the stove, ignited the burners, and began chopping onions as if he had been a member of the team from the very beginning.
Within an hour, the room was transformed. The aroma of garlic and olive oil permeated the air. Bread was rising in the oven. A large pot of tomato soup simmered on the stove. Newman worked diligently, perspiring through his sweater, never pausing.
A young volunteer named Clara recalled him leaning in close while she peeled carrots. “If we make it filling enough,” Newman remarked, “nobody goes hungry tonight.”
As the doors opened, individuals shuffled in wearing thin coats and displaying weary expressions. The famous actor personally carried bowls to the tables. “Merry Christmas,” he greeted each guest as he placed warm bread rolls down. Some recognized him immediately, their eyes widening. Others may not have known his name, but they sensed his compassion.
Throughout the night, Newman navigated between the stove and the dining area. He stirred the soup, baked additional bread, served meals, and continually checked on the diners. The shelter was warm, filled with voices and laughter, a stark contrast to the storm raging outside. By midnight, over two hundred individuals had been served, many of them receiving two meals.
When it finally ended, Newman chose not to depart. He remained to clean the floor, arrange the chairs, and wash the dishes. It was only after completing these tasks that he donned his coat. Before stepping out into the snow, he turned to Clara and quietly remarked, “The food matters. But being here with them matters more.”
We enter this world for a singular purpose – to serve humanity and our fellow beings.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” said Mahatma Gandhi, the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. “The successful man doesn’t use others, other people use the successful man, for above all the success is of service,” noted American writer Mark Caine.
American poet Emily Dickinson has penned some lines about service: “If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain,” she wrote. “If I can ease one life’s aching, or cool one’s pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.”
Hannah More, an English religious writer and philanthropist, says that even the smallest act you do is a great service to the person who receives it. “One kernel is felt in a hogshead; one drop of water helps to swell the ocean; a spark of fire helps to give light to the world. None are too small, too feeble, too poor to be of service. Think of this and act,” she points out.
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