By Matt Kennedy
Research & Grants Specialist

“The simple act of caring is heroic.” – Edward Albert

On this day in:

1863 - President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction of the South.
            Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction, which President Andrew Johnson implemented after Lincoln’s assassination, showed how much Lincoln truly cared about the well-being of slaves. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, and his plan for Reconstruction took the first step to creating a world former slaves would want to be free in.
            Lincoln’s entire life is a prime example of how to properly care for others.  His capacity for great empathy was likely first instilled as a child. Unlike the affluence of many Presidential families, Lincoln arose from the modest means of a one room log cabin with a dirt floor in Illinois.

1980 - Mark David Chapman shot and killed John Lennon in New York City. Earlier in the day, Lennon autographed an album for Chapman.
            On the 31st anniversary of Lennon’s death, we are reminded of his song, “Imagine.” The song paints one of the most poignant pictures to date of what the world would be like if everyone tapped into their full potential to care for one another. As Lennon puts it best, “Imagine all the people sharing for the world. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one.”

2000 - Sting received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
            One of the ways the musician Sting showed his ability to care was by establishing The Rainforest Foundation with his wife, Trudy. The couple holds a benefit concert every year for the foundation andre all proceeds are donated to activist groups supporting the conservation of the rainforest. In honor of Sting’s efforts, a species of Colombian tree frog was named in his honor. The frog is called Dendropsophus stingi.

Caring is just one of the character traits highlighted in paxUnited’s® Extraordinary People Living Character, which is the character development component of Peers Making Peace^©. This program gives students the opportunity to utilize these positive character traits to improve their campus environment through service. The 10 main aspects of positive character Extraordinary People Living Character aims at improving are: the ability to care, courage, citizenship, diligence, fairness, honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness.

paxUnited hopes your holiday season is filled with the generosity of caring family and friends.