What If Kennedy had had to earn a living like most of us?

If at my funeral someone were to say "He need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life", which was what Ted Kennedy said at the funeral of Robert Kennedy, and which many are now writing about Ted Kennedy, I feel my journey on this earth would have been well served.

I admire his contributions to public service, but I ask this, What would Ted Kennedy's life of service have looked like if he had had to earn money every day to feed his family, pay rent, etc?

While I hoped that "those who have been given much, will give much in return" most of the people on this planet don't start out life with the understanding that we'll never need to worry about feeding our family, getting a job, paying rent, or having health insurance.

Thus, the question I address everyday in my role of President of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection, is "how do I and others, lead lives of service that earn us the type of epitaph given to Ted and Robert Kennedy" when so much of our daily effort is on filling basic needs, or even on survival?

How can we connect those who live beyond poverty, with those who live in poverty, in actions that transform the lives of both?

I think each person needs to answer this for themselves. Yet, finding solutions to the many challenges of the next century requires that not just the wealthy are doing great deeds.