We are all immersed in one of the most difficult times in American history. The hard-working, rule-follower, who gives their best effort, has never been challenged more — and from every angle.

As I thought about my column and all that is going on around us, the end of VCU’s 19-point comeback over North Carolina was on in the background. VCU Coach Phil Martelli Jr. was being interviewed about his team’s accomplishment and how they were able to pull it off.

It was then that I heard him say the words “my team is selfishly selfless,” which grabbed my attention. He talked about how every player knew his job and executed his job to the best of his ability at practice and until the horn sounds on game days. This, while playing for his teammates, VCU, and all that support them. There it was, my title provided by the son of long-time St. Joseph’s Coach, Phil Martelli. I was a fan of his dad and his St. Joe’s team, and the apple didn’t fall far from the coaching tree and family.

Now it was up to me to apply being selfishly selfless to my column.

First up, I think it should be applied to an individual’s everyday life, which includes your personal wellness. We all need to take care of our own well-being. To me, this means our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. If we can prioritize and make this happen, we can take care of our family/loved ones and those most dependent upon us.

That is far easier to write than it is to accomplish.

In today’s world, as the battle of good versus evil wages, you never know where the challenges will come from. Simply put, trying to be the best version of you to help and support everyone around you has never been harder. There will always be a day you need to lean upon the trusted support group around you.

Now, to what I will call the community aspect of being selfishly selfless.

I’ll begin with one’s job and every day civil responsibilities. This enables one to provide for our family and loved ones. Hopefully, it will set an example for a future generation of providing for loved ones through hard work, effort, accepting responsibility, and personal independence. That’s not saying you might never need help; that’s just setting that example of doing your best each and every day.

Now here’s where one has to be completely selfless.

This doesn’t mean someone is always going to like their job, agree with the boss, or believe in whatever methods the corporate world applies. Many of us end up with an employment that doesn’t best fit our skill set. We do what we have to do. The most important part of commitment is doing the job at hand. It may be providing and serving food, delivering mail, or representing people as a township supervisor or elected official. Many don’t understand the daily importance of their efforts to their customers and the people they serve.

The employer, the customer, and the voice of your constituents must come first over individual opinions or beliefs. By doing your job and flowing with the system, you accomplish a positive goal. That doesn’t mean you have to like it or even befriend your coworkers. It means you put a smile on your face and give 100% until your job is completed. If you want to make a change to the role you’re hired to fill or ascend to a higher position, do it through the proper channels and the right way, follow the chain of command. If you can’t do this, find another job.

I think many Americans have lost sight of just how important the completion of their everyday job is to moving our Nation forward. And if you’re serving fellow Americans in any aspect, it’s up to you to read the room and understand the voice and feeling of the majority. Whether it’s a volunteer board, elected position, or paid seat at a table, your personal agenda should never come first.

It should come as no surprise that my two sides of selfishly being selfless overlap. One’s personal well-being and approach will always carry over to their job and community efforts.

I apologize; I didn’t make it to how being selfishly unselfish flows into helping every nonprofit organization, church, and community effort.

I will say this, it doesn’t have to be through monetary donation, it can be through time, commitment, or helping others through an individual skill you possess.

Please, as Holy Week begins, pray for our troops and be extra vigilant here on the home front. And please get out and about and share the Easter activities together found in the pages ahead.

God Bless America.