Sunday, September 28, 2008
Quick, Sports, "Hunt's Grunts"

Smile, stand up and step forward

Somebody inquired of me last week, “Why do you always end your column with ‘Happy times’?"

By Hunt Archbold

Somebody inquired of me last week, “Why do you always end your column with ‘Happy times’? Because sometimes you can write some real heavy and sad stuff.” Well, heavy or not, the reality of these grunts is they have to come real, whether they’re happy or not. What makes some happy is knowing the Yankees are home for the playoffs, or seeing Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks oinking it up in rather ugly fashion. Others chuckle at good old-fashioned Bible humor.

Q: Who was the greatest financier in the Old Testament?
A: The daughter of Pharaoh. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet. (Rim shot, if you please.)

Actually, jokes about our country’s current financial crisis are few and far between these days. America’s pocketbooks are hurting. But even in these times of uncertainty, we need laughter in our lives, as well as the clarity to recognize what’s really important in the long run. I think I was trying to communicate this to my dear friend Melanie Z. last week as we left a corporate function at Turner Field’s 755 Club. But she quickly shot me one of those “stick a tube sock in it’’ looks and announced she was going to climb on statues. My protest that it was inappropriate to hang from the leg of Warren Spahn, the greatest left hander of all time, fell on deaf ears. Or maybe she couldn’t hear because we were both laughing so hard.

But these are serious, stressful times—the economy in trouble, gasoline prices skyrocketing, hurricanes pounding our coastlines, etc. And yes, there is a temptation during periods of restless uncertainty to only think of ourselves. But the proper approach is to think of others, those both far and near, in good times and bad. Individually, there’s not much any one of us can do in the face of this large crisis. However, by living and caring responsibly, we can all work together and build a better future.

All four of Atlanta’s professional sports franchises sport active foundations that go the distance in helping to change the lives of children and adults in profound and positive ways. Enough can’t be said of how Braves pitchers John Smoltz and Tim Hudson give back to those in need, while Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s lifetime charitable donation through his family’s foundation and personal giving now exceeds $250 million. And there are numerous other examples of how those with the time and resources to give step up and do so.

A few weeks back, Forbes.com voted Atlanta the No. 1 city for singles in the country. The rationale is understandable, as our town indeed has a lot going for it if you’re unattached, young and looking for fun. Eight days (and nights) a week, there’s some club, promoter or social drinking group throwing a shindig just because. Yes, Atlanta likes to get its party on, but it does its share of giving back, too. But could we do more? Apparently, yes.

A few weeks before Atlanta was proclaimed the Singles Mecca of America, a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service indicated that between 2005 and 2007, the city earned a volunteer ranking of just 31st among the nation’s 50 largest cities. The state of Georgia ranked 43rd in the nation.

Yes, Atlanta’s 1.1 million volunteers served more than 150 million hours annually, and by donating that time their estimated economic annual contribution came to $2.9 billion. But when you think about the fact that there are 37.3 million Americans who live in poverty and 12.6 million children who live in homes where there isn’t enough to eat, the question should burn from within us all: Am I doing enough to help? And if not, when will I stand up and step forward?

For it is written, “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.” And that’s no Bible humor, folks; that’s the real thing.

Happy times … for oh, so many reasons. SP