More on Battle Fatigue

 

It's been 42 years since I joined an organization of the blind.  At that time, 1969, the leadership in Washington State said, "We are old and we are tired of doing it all".  Over the years we saw a rise in membership.  Young people joined and a few of them rolled up their sleeves and took the load from the shoulders of the elder members.  And now those young, eager folks are in their 60's and 70's and we sit around saying, "Why aren't our members taking leadership roles?  Why do we have to carry the load.  We're tired and worn out." 

I think that it's a matter of our feeling the weight of too many battle fronts.  We are overwhelmed often times.  But there are new, eager people popping up.  And 40 or 50 years from now they will be the ones saying, "Where are the young people?  Why do we have to do it all?" 

So we just go ahead and do what we do because we care for those who cannot help themselves, and for those who will come behind us.  But there will always be too much to do and too few to do it.  That's why we're called a Minority. 

 

Carl Jarvis

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Darla Rogers

To: acb-l@acb.org

Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:12 AM

Subject: [acb-l] Battle Fatigue

I think one point we are missing--which has been eluded to in several posts--is that it does take numbers, and those of us who are older and/or don't live where lots of blind people live, have gotten tired of battling for the masses who don't advocate but can sure complain loudly.

 

How do we motivate these people to help?  What happens when we are gone?