Becoming A Shriner

Everyone has seen people standing on the street holding a sign, wearing a funny red hat, and asking for money. They are called Shriners, and giving them money is thought to be a sign of generosity. Generosity is a kind act that makes us feel virtuous, yet we probably do not practice this act enough. Even when we see someone giving money to these people; our perceived notion is that the donors are respectable, moral, and wholesome because they gave a monetary offering. Giving money does not show true generosity, it’s just one way of being generous, but there are many ways. For example, giving time, food, clothes, and personal belongings all fit into the same category. Although these are all great things to do, and very generous, the true meaning
Whether people believe in Jesus, Budha, Muhammad, or some other deity; the basic principle that all religions try to convey, is to be kind and generous to one another. Whenever we give, it brings hope to someone less fortunate. That’s the reason I became a Shriner because I wanted to help bring hope to families that are less fortunate. Furthermore, I wanted to help children whose parents could not afford the proper health care for their debility. Being a Shriner is a very rewarding and fun experience; we have fun with the children and with each other. On the other hand, it can be very demanding and time-consuming. There are many hours and days spent standing in front of retail stores asking for donations, yet at the end of the day, it’s worth it just to put a smile on a child’s
When I met the family, it was a mother and a child. The child was twelve years old, mentally impaired, and walked with a walker, yet was upbeat, happy, and had an awesome personality. His mother was really polite and sincere, but as she spoke, I could tell she was dealt an extraordinarily unfair hand in life. Her demeanor was that of someone with the weight of the world on their shoulders. While riding to the hospital, I asked the lady why her son’s limp was so pronounced that it caused him to require the aid of a walker. Her reply was that she, her husband, her daughter, and her son were on a family trip when a drunk driver crashed into their vehicle; killing the young boy’s father and sister. Consequently, the wreck caused the once normal young boy to go into seizures, which in turn caused him to have two strokes. Explaining, that the part of his brain affected by the strokes was the part that relayed the signals for growth to one side of his body, and because this deficiency his leg was shorter than the other. She said that was the reason for the doctor visit; the doctors were going to construct a shoe that would compensate for his limp. I was definitely not ready for that heartbreaking story, which I have to say choked me up a little and