Some people actually work to make the world a better place. I appreciate them.
There's another man in my neighborhood who also feeds the stray cats- some of the same cats I feed, but he has a few regulars who never come to my house. He often has 6 to 10 of them at feeding time. (Maybe it's because he offers raw chicken.)
We've had several conversations about the strays over the years; worrying when a sickness ravages the neighborhood cats, wiping out some of the cats we have tried to save. Wondering what happened to a regular, discussing the new kittens, or reporting a death the other may not know of. I've seen him chasing off dogs (dogs who won't stay home) who come into his yard to attack the cats.
He's had to defend himself from threats by the local cop, who threatened to "fine" him for feeding cats, saying this made the cats his pets, and no one is "allowed" to have more than 3 cats in town, blah blah, blah. He asked if the birds were also his pets since he has a bird feeder. The cop seems to have left him alone since then.
Anyway...
I appreciate him caring for animals who have no one else to count on.
Besides him, I notice other people making the world a nicer place just by doing what they do.
I love the delivery drivers I see frequently in the neighborhood. They'll often wave as they drive by.
I love the cashiers I encounter again and again, doing a job which isn't glamorous and doesn't pay enough, but who still manage to do a job that is essential while being pleasant to the customers. (The unpleasant ones are a conversation for another day.) I look forward to seeing the familiar faces, even though I don't really know them.
Anyone who comes to my attention, doing things that make the world a little better with their contributions, without stepping on the life, liberty, or property of others in the process, can elicit the same feeling in me.
No government mandate was required to get these people to do helpful things. In some cases, they are doing it in exchange for a paycheck, but often people do nice things that only cost them. And a paycheck doesn't ensure good service, anyway.
Maybe it's silly and sentimental to feel this kind of connection with those who probably don't feel the same about me. If so, I'll embrace it anyway.
Thank you for reading.
