One common characteristic of Road Less Traveled (RLT) subjects is their community involvement and contribution to others….often those most in need. They do this incognito with little fanfare or attention. And they like it that way. Often their community service is an extension of their careers. In some ways there is a very fine line between their personal and professional lives.
They receive no financial/monetary compensation for their community service, but they are actually compensated. They are compensated in psychic income which is “ the personal or subjective benefits, rewards, or satisfactions derived from a job or undertaking separate from its objective or financial ones”. It’s rooted in the belief that it is better to give than to receive. Dr. Patrick O'Connor - Life Long Learning Connection
We get a living by what we get and a life by what we give. Winston Churchill
Psychic Income
Each time we do something for someone else without expecting anything in return we receive psychic income.
Think of all the times you have shared something or helped at church, in your community, at work or just randomly. Maybe you donate time, treasure, and talent at an assisted living center, deliver Meals on Wheels or help veterans. A lifetime of sharing and serving others creates a tremendous wealth in psychic income.
Psychic income accumulates like a savings or investment account. Each time we do something for someone else we get a small deposit into the account. Unlike other types of investment or currency, psychic income has a few unique characteristics.
First, a psychic income account is a deposit only account. Each time we do something for someone without any monetary payment, we receive a small deposit into the psychic income account. Another unique characteristic of this account is there is no way to withdraw any of this income. And, since there is no way make withdrawals, there is no way to spend any of it. You can only save it. And it compounds with interest.
The account grows each time you volunteer, share a kindness, or do something for someone in need. For RLT subjects, depositing into their psychic income account is almost therapeutic. The wisdom of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta put it this way, “Do small things with great love”.
RLT Psychic Income Accounts: Win-Win-Win
We’re all familiar with the win-win situation where two parties’ benefit from the same thing. In the case of RLT subjects, three parties benefit creating win-win-win situations. These are evident in the following samples.
The RLTs of the 16 subjects featured in AroundKent are filled with examples of deposits into their psychic income accounts. These deposits enhance the quality of life in their communities.
Marilyn Sessions – Marilyn and her husband Brain started the Grill for Good program in Kent in conjunction with the Kent Jaycees. It’s a Saturday in June where local people grill and sell food as music plays at the Hometown Bank stage. All proceeds support various charities in Portage County including Portage County Animal Protective League, Coleman Professional Services, Family and Community Services, Dog Days of Summer, and the Kent Jaycees. 2022 marks the 13th anniversary of the program. Estimates are 60,000.00 has been raised and donated from Grill for Good. (Grill For Good – Grilling Competition & Music Festival (kentjaycees.com))
My community involvement is simply an act of love – almost like being on auto pilot – like a flow of love. Marilyn Sessions
Patrick J. O’Connor is the lead consultant for 3LC. He designs and conducts most of the services associated with 3LC. He is also associated with several consultants and trainers who specialize in other learning- related subjects. These topics can be discussed as needed. He has leveraged his many years of scholarly experience in higher education to work with organizations to improve employee performance. He has served on the faculty at Kent State University, The University of Georgia, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and New River Community College. In addition, he is an active marketing, training and leadership consultant to business and educational organizations. He is the author of two collegiate marketing textbooks and numerous professional journal articles and monographs, the You Know America book series and “Meet Me at Rays; a celebration of 75 years of Ray’s Place in Kent Ohio”. He also writes a feature column for aroundKent Magazine titled “The Road Less Traveled”. His bachelor and master degrees are from Bowling Green State University and his doctorate is from Virginia Tech. He and his wife, Susan, have four adult children. They reside in Kent, Ohio.
Rachel Brown – Rachel is well known as the glue that holds together the local band, Rachel and Beatnik Playboys. Music is more than something Rachel does; it is who she is. It is how she views the world. She and other local singer songwriters support the DREW project coordinated by Music on a Mission. Music on a Mission coordinates several programs that rely on the power of music as a healing agent (www.musicmissioninc.com).
The DREW project brings together singer-songwriters and combat veterans to create songs about the veterans’ war experiences. The project is named in honor and memory of Drew Ferguson a Green Beret and Airborne Army Ranger from Avon Lake. Drew served in Afghanistan and Iraq receiving three Bronze stars.
We write when we are happy, we write when we are sad. Rachel Brown
The following lyrics are from the song “Valor Hearts” that Rachel and John Sekletar wrote about his battle experiences in Iraq.
As I sleep on the floor of this cold, dark place
The voices I hear, I can't escape
Of friends, I once had that fought by my side
Their names on a wall, I silently cry
Bill and Edie White – Bill and Edie White support the Dog Days of Summer festival in Kent sponsoring the Strut Your Mutt parade. Proceeds from the festival support animal welfare in Portage County including Paws-in-Motion, Portage County APL, Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary and Rose’s Rescue.
Bill and Edie are also active in the Love on a Leash program. This program provides comfort dogs to hospital patients at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center. The stars of the show are their five Cavalier King Charles spaniel dogs.
Joan Meggitt
Joan Meggitt has a long and distinguished career as a dance professor, performer, and choreographer. In addition to her university work, she volunteers for the “Yes I Can Dance” program in Warrensville Heights. This program provides dance and movement classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease. Joan blends her talents in music, singing and dance into a class that surrounds students in sound and movement. The results are improved physical movement and socialization for everyone.
Each of the above examples represent a win-win-win situation. The RLT subjects certainly benefits from the good work they do. An organization benefits from the contributions the RLT subject makes. And, an individual (usually in need) benefits.
“You Can Take It with You”
We are all familiar with the phrase “you can’t take it with you”. That’s true for material things like land and money. However, when our time comes, we can take our psychic income account with us. The balance plus the interest.
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