“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
―Winston S. Churchill
It is generally agreed that what separates homo sapiens from all other species is the wide range of emotions human beings experience and exhibit. Now, this is not to say that other species do not have similar emotions, but none have the spectrum that we do. From outrageous to the sublime, it makes human beings the most complex creature on the planet. And of all human emotions, the one I find the most difficult to come to terms with is greed. For a species that relies on cooperation for its very survival, the idea that one deserves to have not only more but so VERY much more than anyone else, makes little evolutionary sense to me. Yet, especially today, we see more and more of it. Our own Government seems to thrive on it.
I suppose that my upbringing has had the most effect on my thinking in this matter. After a few years in Cliffside Park, NY, my family moved one town over to Fort Lee where I spent my youth. It was the late 50’s and at a time when many families were moving away from New York City (especially the outer boroughs) for an easier life in the suburbs. My family’s roots were firmly planted in Brooklyn.
My mother, father, sister and brother lived modestly in one of the many split-level homes that were popping up everywhere in town. At the same time, after selling his family’s deli business, my father fulfilled a lifelong dream and entered law enforcement and became a Bergen County Deputy Sheriff. To supplement what was then a modest income, my mother worked too. Remember, this was at a time when women with children rarely worked. So, in simple terms, we all had a strong working-class ethic. We didn’t have a lot. But we had enough. Whatever we did have was well-earned. Others may have had MORE things but we had each other, and we learned that nothing was more valuable. Therefore, money had its place but it was never #1 on my list of motivations.
Perhaps one of the strongest memories of the power of money AND how that power is amplified through giving came when I was around 17. It was the early 1970’s because I remember that I was just beginning to drive. And I know this because I recall being taught how to by my father in one of the many jalopies we owned as a family vehicle. I mean I remember cars that he drove that were so past their prime that we used rugs to cover the gaping holes in the floor boards! Yeah, they were real junkers. But for most of my early life that’s just the way things were. Money was tight but we got by.
Well, one day, my parents decided to bite the bullet and actually buy a NEW car – that’s right, a shiny, spanking new automobile. There was just one small issue: how would they pay for it? A bank loan was out of the question. My folks simply couldn’t handle the payments. So, they turned to my grandmother (my maternal grandmother) for some help. Although my parents were hesitant to ask an old lady for money, there was no other option. But my grandmother didn’t hesitate for even one second. Furthermore, it was not to be a loan but rather a gift. There would be no need to pay it back. She made the arrangements with her bank the next day and withdrew $5000 in cash – all in crisp $100 bills.
When my grandmother handed the envelope with the money to my mother she said (in her Sicilian accent), “look, it was going to be your money anyway. Why should I wait until I die and can’t see you get it? You need it now.” My mother took one of those brand new $100 dollar bills in her hand and inspected it closely. Then she started to cry. At first, I was puzzled by her tears, thinking that this was a happy occasion. Her response has stayed with me for so many years and for so many reasons. She looked at me, smiled, and through her tears said, “Frankie, I’ve never seen a $100 bill before.” She was in her 40’s at the time. That’s how much the world has changed in the 50+ years since that incident.
THIS provided the foundation for my financial future. My grandmother was as humble at giving that money as my mother was to receive it. Therefore, it’s the generosity of SPIRIT that drives my motivation. Of course, money in and of itself, is not evil. In fact, it’s essential. My father always put in perspective by saying, “money isn’t everything, but you can do more with it than without.” To me that meant, live your life fully but never forget where YOU came from and the help I received along the way. In other words, take your share but NEVER be greedy.
So, beyond the politics, this is what angers me so deeply about what his happening in the Country today. Don’t be fooled by the false narrative. DOGE is NOT about efficiency and/or accountability. It’s about GREED – plain and simple. It’s about the richest man (men) depriving food to feed starving children – and then laughing about it. They’re about depriving people of the ability to earn a decent living wage to ultimately line their own pockets. There are not enough adjectives to add to despicable that adequately explain the depravity of that kind of behavior. Beyond those lame mattress commercials, it leaves one begging the question, “how do they sleep at night?” DECENCY should never be political.
Look, I understand that part of the American Dream is to have your piece of the pie. And that’s entirely reasonable. I want mine too. However, when you want EVERYONE’S piece in addition to your own, and for no good reason except just to have it, that’s the very definition of GREED. And I want no part of it or the government or a society that encourages it.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are those of this independent writer and not the Nyack News & Views editorial staff. We welcome submissions from anybody who is interested in publishing their thoughts, ideas and perspectives about issues facing our community, both large and small. Please send to info@nyacknewsandviews.com with detailed contact information.
Photo credit: Frank LoBuono
