Highlighting Significance

No matter what side of the political isle you may be on, the last 4 years, or maybe even 8 years, have been frustrating to say the least.  Just about every news report that has come out of Washington has highlighted all of the problems we have had as a nation and as a government.  It has felt like everything we have done, as a nation, has been a failure.  Our success rate seems to be at an all time low.

 

Well, this past Monday, I had the privilege of sitting in the audience as President Bush was interviewed on the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.  Rick Warren, the author of A Purpose Driven Life and the pastor from Saddleback Church, was talking with President Bush and First Lady, Laura Bush, about the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  Now I have been around developing world health care and initiatives since 2004, and although I have heard about PEPFAR, I cannot remember a signal news report or telecast about the effects of the program.

 

As I sat in the audience, I was amazed to learn that, because of the generosity of the American people and the initiative of the Bush administration, more than 2,000,000 people in Africa are receiving antiretroviral (ARV) medication and more than 10,000,000 people have benefited from this unprecedented commitment to global health and the AIDS virus.  As I sat and listened to the President of the United States who has been criticized at every turn (often well deserved criticism), I wondered when did we become a society that only highlights exorbitant financial success or the failure of any kind. 

So far, any and all of the news coverage coming from the event has been negative.  Some have used the opportunity to blast the Bush Administration one more time for its policy on Iraq.  Others have done their best to belittle the award and completely avoid the purpose of the PEACE award, to celebrate the great work the US has done in the fight against AIDS.

Why, as a country and a culture, do we always look to turn something good into something bad. Why do we not highlight and celebrate the significance that our lives and our actions have on the rest of the world.

PEPFAR is probably one of dozens of significant initiatives and programs that our government is engaged in and although the Bush Administration has plenty of things we can be upset about, both democratic and republican led endeavors that are changing the world and making it a better place to live are almost always un-noticed or even neglected by our press, by our public and by our citizens.  I am as much to blame as anyone.  Even as a person with a personal interest in Africa and health care in the developing world, I have never taken the time to learn about what our government or even our citizenry is doing that makes a difference.

If we are going to travel on the Road to Significance, we are going to have to start to highlight the significant efforts that we are all making, including our government, our corporations and our families. 

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we still have an obligation to report on the mistakes of an administration or the errors of an individual, but what we decide to highlight and to bring to the forefront of our lives is what needs to be re-examined.  For me, I want to live in a world that is highlighting significance;  a place where the service of others is held in higher regard than the failure of some;  a country were our caring is more meaningful than our callousness;  a world were our significance is more important than our success.

I want to travel on the Road to Significance.