Service

“Starting today we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look there is work to be done.”
- President Barack Obama

I had to pull over onto the side of the road the other day, and just sit, and listen, and be thankful, and pray. I was listening to President Obama’s Inaugural Speech on NPR, having just left our new Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff’s office, after a brief but very inspiring interview.

The thing that overwhelmed me, and brought tears to my eyes, was the profound sense of humility and sincere desire to serve that seems to fill both of these men’s hearts.

President Obama used the words “humble,” “mindful,” and “grateful” to describe part of his approach to being the 44th President of the United States. He spoke of the “spirit of service” our nation will need, if we’re going to pull out of and recover from the many challenges now facing us individually, and, as a nation. He spoke of the “tempering qualities of humility and restraint,” and of our collective opportunity to “choose our better history.”

Tear-producing and profoundly inspiring stuff, that.

I interviewed our own, newly elected Superior Court Judge, Currie Mingledorff, just before the inaugural address began, and he spoke of many of the same things. He called service both “an obligation and a privilege.” He spoke about how important humility has always been to him. He talked of his deep recognition of his own blessings, and of his sincere desire to “give back.”

President Obama was sworn into office with his hand on the Bible that was used to swear Abraham Lincoln into the same office. Imagine that! Judge Mingledorff has a print of a painting in his office of George Washington, formally dressed, kneeling in the snow next to his horse, praying. Washingon and the horse, also formally festooned, look as if they were headed to some state event when our first President stopped, for a moment, to seek God’s counsel.

“That picture means a lot to me,” Judge Mingledorff said. “It’s about the great strength that comes with recognizing how little one knows…Humility…and, the knowledge that we are dependent on our Maker…Even George Washington knew when he needed to ask for help.”

One thing both President Obama and our new Superior Court Judge emphasize is the need for us all to be involved – for us all to serve. Throughout his campaign, and in his inaugural speech, President Obama challenges us - each and every one - to action.

“We’re all frail…and, we’re all in this together,” Judge Mingledorff said. “We’re all supposed to help and serve each other, through our whole lives…”

A week or so ago, I had the opportunity to spend some equally inspiring time with a group of every day citizens who are already doing their part to answer the call. They were the 16 new volunteers, being trained to become Court Appointed Special Advocates (to serve in our local judicial circuit’s CASA program) for children in the foster care system.

They were a diverse group – different races, ages, and professions - in different stages of life. One couple, Jeremy and T.C. Howard, said they’d been foster parents for years. They’d decided to close their home, but “wanted to continue serving the kids.”

Lisa Bramlett said she’d “worked in the court system” and had “seen how many kids need someone to help and advocate for them….I’ve been blessed with a wonderful life, and now I want to give back.”
Retired family advocate, Debbie Rosselle, said she “was an abused child,” and “had been fortunate enough to use that experience to help kids.” Dwight Acey, a retired probation officer, said he’d spent 20 years working case loads of “drug dealers, users, predators, rapists, thieves and murderers,” and he saw being a volunteer CASA as an “opportunity to work on the other end…hopefully help intervene before these kids go down those paths…”

What does this group of volunteers – including a pest control man, a recently unemployed mother of a newborn, an Army wife with two teenagers, a realtor with two kids in the Navy, a retired teacher and a school bus driver – have in common with our recently elected President and Superior Court Judge?

The desire to serve, a recognition of blessings, and the need to “give something back.”

“You can’t help everyone,” retired probation officer turned volunteer CASA Acey said, “but you can make an effort and that effort pays off with some…I just want to be of value - of use to the court and of use to the children.”

It’s an exciting and challenging time, folks. There are plenty of ways to serve - our community, our nation, the world at large.

“Yes, we can!” so many of us chanted, for so many months. Now, “Let’s get started!” can be our new battle cry.