Have I Done Any Good

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.
’Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.

Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.

Text and music: Will L. Thompson, 1847–1909, alt.

Uncertain World

It’s an uncertain world we live in, and life can easily go awry
We obsess over time and money and every object our money can buy
The things that we should cherish are the very things we push away
And what we spend our time on, not worthy of the time of day

We toil, strive, dig and claw to get our small piece of the pie
But on receipt we realize within the crust it’s plain and dry
Oh yes, we all expected, a luscious filling to be sure
A bite or two of humble pie is a quite effective cure

No human man, not rich, nor poor, will achieve all of his heart’s desires
But if he did, what’s the point, when more is learned passing thru fire
And why want more than is sufficient, why take advantage of each other
This is the rule of the jungle, not how we should treat one another

Why rule with fear, why wonder, are there enough resources here
Of course there are, why worry, why should we take a lion’s share
Common sense teaches that if we take, we must always put some back
If all we do is take and take, then yes, resources we may lack

We hear of change, progression, and many new age points of view
Traditions are traditions for a reason, most are tried and true
Media says, we can’t be still, inactive, we must do something quick
But change and action aren’t good when discarding the very ways that work

That’s how we got here, changing laws, special interests, lobbying
New taxes, rules and regulations, often do more harm than good
Why fix it when it isn’t broken, at least it wasn’t in the first place
Why have a world where some have all and some are left quite hopeless

There’s proof that some have no regard for the “folks” around them
But simply live to fill their pockets, their stepping stones are humans
The office we once trusted has become a puppet theatre
Behind the scenes the puppet masters laugh at us and sneer

And war, they say it’s necessary, how can we really know
Haven’t you seen the fallout when you strike the first blow
What is this credit, it is a vice, a snare, temptation, a made up way
To purchase items we don’t need and for them cannot even pay

But blinded by our status, our pride and our impatience
We run full bore, down the path to sure financial death
That’s why I speak of times of old, not because I want to live there
But we can learn quite clearly from history and what it has to share

The old ways aren’t old fashioned, why care about fashion anyway
Are we letting someone else tell us how to live our day
Strip down the mask and take a look at the person who you really are
It’s not about your clothes, where you live or even your fancy car

It really is uncertain, this spinning orb we live upon
But what is always certain, one day the money will be gone

-Liz

12/8/11