The forth of this week’s pause for thought on BBC Radio 2 covers Communities working towards 2012 Olympics in London.
Today’s broadcast can be heard by clicking on the play button below:

Or, click here to download.

Transcript from today’s PfT (agreed with  the producer):

Communities working towards London 2012

In the middle of December, I attended an event at the Olympics organisation centre in Canary Wharf.  It was inspiring to see so many people from different communities getting involved in the various projects for 2012.  In fact, Lord Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the organising committee, spoke about how crucial London’s emphasis on communities had been to helping it win the bid to host the Games.

We were then treated to a video presentation outlining the progress made to date.  There were, of course, the now classic pictures of the bid team in Singapore with their hands covering their faces in heavy anticipation, awaiting the verdict of who would host the games in 2012, followed by the wonderful scenes of celebration as the team embraced one another.  I must admit, I felt a warm sense of pride that a country that my parents made home back in 1958 has this opportunity to shine globally.

The video went on to outline some of the long-term community projects which are coming out of the planning for the Games.  At the reception afterwards, I met one of the Games organisers who has developed a national campaign to help some of the most disadvantaged to improve their job prospects.  The scheme’s called Personal Best and uses the excitement of the 2012 Games to promote training for an accredited volunteering qualification, while also offering participants support into further volunteering, training or work.

So often, it’s not what you initially take out of something but about what you put in.  And that’s no truer said than when you’re talking about voluntary work.  There may not be a personal financial gain, but for many across the country, voluntary work – be it for a charity, a club, or a religious organisation – can be a wonderfully satisfying and worthwhile use of spare time.

And the Olympic’s Personal Best scheme is a great example of the Games giving people not just a fabulous fortnight of sporting and cultural entertainment, but the long-term opportunity of job prospects, helping communities to create a legacy which will live long – well beyond the time the last spectator has left the Olympic stadium.

This week I’m on Pause for Thought, a BBC Radio 2 show that selects guests presenters for short inspirational messages. Each day I’ll post up the transcript for the show together with the audio for both listen again opportunities and as a personal archive.
Today’s broadcast can be heard by clicking on the play button below:

Transcript from today’s PfT: ( Agreed with the Producer).

What inspires you?  It was a question I posed for a bit of fun to my friends on Facebook the other day.

I was expecting them to reply with answers such as a beautiful landscape, a wonderful piece of music, children, or the do-or-die commitment of a sporting hero.

But the first response I received back was much deeper.  It simply said: ‘Compassion’.  In other words, a simple human act or emotion towards another in pain or trouble.

It sounds so simple doesn’t it?  But then again, in our heart-of-hearts, we know that we too often fail to show self-less compassion when we find colleagues, neighbours, or strangers in need?  Too often we walk-on by.  No wonder my friend found true acts of compassion an inspiration.

Of course the cynic might argue that there is no such thing as selfless compassion.

“Hold on”, I hear you cry!  “I give to charity when I see or hear about a worthy cause.”  But our donation, the cynic would say, gives us a feel good factor.  We shouldn’t kid ourselves that there isn’t a positive benefit to our giving.

“But what about my children?  I bring them up and don’t think twice about caring for them or protecting them.  I give selflessly.”  But our reward for the care and concern we show our children comes, the cynic would argue, with the love that our children show to us in return.

Even a birthday present isn’t apparently such an innocent gift because we give expecting one in return.

All the great faiths refer to the importance of showing compassion to others.  Christians have the story of the Good Samaritan and the Dalai Lama once encouraged his followers with the words: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  So maybe, while true acts of compassion are rarer than we think, that’s not what’s important.

In the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Patshah is quoted as saying: “Make compassion the cotton, contentment the thread, modesty the knot and truth the twist.  This is the sacred thread of the soul.”