Why'd you join?

 We're all diff' animals with diff' purposes.   Yet, we all have a ton in common in the big picture.  I mean, for 'most' of us sane ones, you're either Male or Female.  Or you have religious beliefs or you don't.  Some believe in 'country' and go down the path of serving it, whether that be via Military and/or Law Enforcement ....  lets add First Responders as well here.  Some own/drive/ride Fast Cars, Classic vehicles, motorcycles, off road vehicles, Jeeps, etc. .. you name it.  Then our interests; Guns, Coins, Health ... games such as Golf, Pickle Ball, Volleyball.. .... we could keep on going ... wines, whiskeys.... I guess the list is almost infinite.  Along the way we tend to gravitate towards those with common interests ...

Today I find myself wanting to post in my Motorcycle related blog, but ..this one applies across all areas even though my thoughts are on two wheels as I type this.  My 'thought of the day' is ...   "Why join something if you don't plan on putting in the time?"   As I started to put my thoughts together .. I felt a lil' bit of hypocrisy seeping in ...   examples.   I joined the VFW and American Legion decades ago.  Along the way I became a Life Member of both. Same with the NRA and AmVets.  Recently, the DAV.  Why?  I wanted to be a part of these military related organizations due to the positive things they've done, and do , in the military community.  I believe the funds I provided for that acceptance in the organizations goes towards a good cause. BUT, I'm not very active in any of them.  I attend some events, I try to keep up ... but, I don't have much skin in the game.  BUT, I've met the minimum requirements.  If they require(d) more, I'd do more.  Still, I'm proud to be a member of them all, which is why I became a life member all of them.  BUT .. I'm not active and there lies the hypocrisy.

Now lets transition to my focal point.  I'm an active member of a motorcycle related organization that I put a lot of my  time in.  I moved away from the Iron Indians (IIRA) to focus more on this one (I'd be a Life Member had they had that option).  I'm a life member in the IMRG, but ...   barely active other than owning an Indian and go to an event once in a great while.  But the one I'm in .. 'all in' with  ...  has me wondering, why do some others?  Now the majority of folks I've met in those ranks  .. rode with ...  'serve with'  ...  are like minded.  But, there are always  .. . ALWAYS ... folks in every aspect of our lives  ...that don't think alike.  Now that's a harsh comparison, but ...   what gets me to thinking about this is when you spend cycles chasing folks then realize ...   since they've joined an organization they've only shown up say ... once in two years it makes one scratch their head.   What if they've been part of an organization for a decade but ... rarely showed up ... and I mean rare.  You know .. .once every year or two, for a 60 minute meeting and leave... for another year or two.  Why are they part of it?  What value is there in being part of the organization?  That .. is the million dollar question in my mind this morning.

There was a time not too long ago I found myself bending over backwards to motivate folks, bring them back into the fold, try to mitigate butt hurt feelings caused by my predecessors, solve problems that ...   well...   maybe aren't even a problem.  Maybe some folks..... have no idea, no give a shit factor ... why they were there from the get go?  Why they are part of something now?    We've all been that way in situations I have to believe.  I have.  I found myself joining two motorcycle related organizations about a decade ago ... 'just because'.  Never sewed the patches on (still have them in a box somewhere).  One I joined to get 'discount's' on parts (no shit), the other because I was an inaugural member.  Within two years, I was done with both.  So I guess I get it. Sort of.  

We all like to do (well .. most of us?) New Years Resolutions I suppose.  Mine this year (and this occurred to me as I type this) ...   No more chasing folks that don't want to be chased.  I've got my hands full enough with the folks that want to be part of the mix.  As the new year progresses, I'll kick out a few reminders, follow up to ensure there are no issues, but the minute I realize someone is in the wrong place because they literally don't give a shit, I'm done worrying about it.   Simple as that.  

Now some folks would say  .. "duh ..." but to be honest, I've never been that way in life.  I've usually gone out of my way to motivate folks. Redirect folks as necessary.   But eventually you realize there are a percentage of folks that don't want help.  They act like they do .. but ...   no matter what you say or do, they are headed down a different path in life.  As I type this paragraph, I'm no longer talking about the organization but .. .just .. people.  People I know  .. have known for years .. maybe decades.  Some folks just don't have the internal fortitude to move forward.   It's always been hard for me to watch them make mistakes and sadly, I've gone out of my way to help which in retrospect .. has possibly enabled them along the way, delaying the inevitable.

Man ... 2025 could be an interesting year.  Maybe it's the year I get a lil sanity back but getting the mindset I always should have had?  Once again, as I type one of these posts I realize why I write them.  Provides me clarity on situations.   And the funny thing is ...  someone out there is going to be reading this and thinking ...    "WAIT .. are you talking about me??"

Maybe ............

Organizations