In my journey exploring the idea of time banking, I have come across many similar expressions of the same core values—community, compassion, valuing others, investing in the well-being of others, […]
The Nature of Needs and Happiness: A Holistic Perspective to Community Service
In our pursuit of happiness, it’s tempting to believe that obtaining what we want will bring lasting fulfillment. Yet, time and again, we see that merely having more “stuff” often […]
Cooperation, Competition, and the Changing Social Landscape as Seen Through the Lens of Systems Theory
Systems theory, the transdisciplinary study of cohesive, interrelated, and interdependent components, offers a theoretically robust framework for examining the complex networks that make up social systems. These systems – whether […]
Man’s Desperate Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl’s book; Man’s Search for Meaning is a profound exploration of human suffering, resilience, and purpose. Drawing on his harrowing experiences as a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, Frankl proposes […]
Living Simply Through Love, Care, and Purity: A Biblical Approach
The Bible has, for more than 1500 years, been a source of wisdom when it comes to navigating life, yet its most profound principles are often elegantly simple. Two key […]
Using Free-Form Time Banking as a Strategy for Developing Volunteer Resources within a Community Service Organization
Time banking is a way for communities to capture value without monetary cost through the recognition of individuals’ skills and time by the use of an indirect time-tracking instrument. Active […]
What Kind of Hand Were You Dealt in Life: A Reflection on Responsibility and Choice
We are not held responsible for the hand that we have been delt in life but we are, most certainly, held responsible for the way that we play that hand. […]
If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Well: Is Less Actually More?
There’s an old saying that insists, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” This sentiment comes to us today from a time when quality was actually important, when craftsmanship […]
You Can’t Help Those Who Won’t Help Themselves
In our communities we see that ever-increasing needs is becoming the norm – many of them urgent – and community service and outreach programs strive to selflessly meet those needs, […]
The Tyranny of Unbridled Desire and the Truth of Love
Most of what we regard as important in life is a carefully constructed illusion – empty pursuits that masquerade as meaning but ultimately amount to nothing more than distractions. The […]