Observed into Words
Just sayin'–My writings that aren't songs
Annual report
Categories: This Week Observed

I just received my high school alma mater’s annual giving report.  It was more detailed than ever, showcasing how people are giving, how much people are giving, and who is giving.  This year they broke it out further, highlighting parents who give, alumni who give, teachers who give, percentages of each class who have given, and on and on.

I remember getting the first one of these booklets in 7th grade and the shame I felt when I saw so many of my classmate’s last names in the book.  Mine was not there.  I told my Dad to give a little—actually begged—but he wasn’t really in a position to give more than the already expensive tuition.

It was a source of shame—among many others I found to fixate on—throughout high school.  I was embarrassed not to have a nicer, bigger, less cluttered house, the exotic cars of the parents of the peers’ who I wanted to have include me in their circles and those of the friends I did manage to make.

This year’s book showed only five of my 100 classmates were inclined to support the school.  Maybe others felt the same way I do or aren’t rolling in heaps of extra cash.  Or maybe the cause just isn’t worthy enough.

It’s not that I don’t want to give to that school.  It was a great school, despite my insecurities coloring so much of my experience.  I’m actually not sure how it is now but it seems to be doing well.  Yet does rely on support outside of its tuition resources.  And, of course, I support education.  But with the limited funds I do have to give to charity, there are far more pressing concerns appealing to me.

So that’s where I give and my family name continues to remain amiss from the hallowed pages of my high school’s fancy report.

What causes are you supporting?

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