What if we stopped focusing on ourselves?
Guest Post by Grant Young (@YoungMrYoung). Visit Grant's blog at closedlips.com.
I was just thinking about how privileged we are in America. Seriously, I think we get so consumed with self that we forget someone is worse off than you and that everyone needs encouragement. I don’t mean that we should not be upset when we go through difficulty. Here’s what I mean.
I was driving to work and only had a small lunch and was mentally overwhelmed with bills and the realization that I would have to do some major grocery shopping that day. I was pretty much in the “woe-is-me-if-only-I-had-a-better-job” phase that when I stopped at the red light I totally ignored the homeless guy next to me. I’m sure he would have appreciated the lunch I considered as “too small.”
After I got over myself and started the “should-I-give-him-my-food” debate my light turned and I had to start driving. I got to work and felt like such a jerk. My self-centered moment led me to ignore someone who was in a worse situation than me.
How often does that happen? I have a feeling I’m not the only person who has gone through a similar situation. Random acts of kindness can make someone’s day because they don’t expect it! The reason they don’t expect it is because our culture is too focused on themselves to touch the lives of someone else. Unfortunately, you can see this throughout social media.
SIDE NOTE: I actually took some time to stare at my mini-feed to see that there are more likes, shares and comments on the fake Harlem Shake or cat pictures than positive causes.
I just completed a school project about sex trafficking within the United States. I had no idea how prevalent that issue is in America! I also just read about Sub-Saharan African and their children not being able to go to school, the extreme poverty rates and the prevalent AIDS epidemic in that area.
The point I’m trying to make is that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. While we’re here lets touch hearts and impact the culture to make us less selfish individuals. Social media is an outlet that makes sharing information ridiculously simple. We can shed light on the social ills of the world and help a cause if we get over ourselves just like I could’ve helped that homeless man.
I know we are a generous nation that has unlimited potential. Use your influence for good and let’s spread the word on the causes that are fighting to make a positive impact.
Yeah it’s crazy how big our “small stuff” can be to the needy and how small or “big stuff” is in the grand scheme of things.
I totally agree with this, like what you said about the media. The media is a double edged sword of which one side cuts bread to share and the other cuts throats. Sadly, a majority of American media produced is like an incubator, slowly raising us to always think of ourselves first, soon becoming ourselves period. If everyone just led by example and thought of someone else before getting/doing/making/etc. something for themselves every once in a while maybe the offset of one side of the world buying video games for $50, while on another side, that same $50 could buy livestock to keep a family of 4 from going hungry, wouldn’t be so grand. To reiterate what you said, buildings start with bricks. It’s the little things that will make it happen. Awesome blog Grant! I always enjoy your entries.
WE NEED TO KEEP DOING GOOD , WE NEED TO KEEP SHARING THE GOOD , WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING AGAINST WHAT MEDIA , THE WORLD , THE NEWSPAPERS OR RELIGIONS TELL US .
WE HAVE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE EVERYDAY . PEOPLE IS DYING EVERYDAY WHEN WE ARE PLAYING . LETS KEEP THE FAITH ………WE ARE HERE WITH A PURPOSE AND A DESTINY , WE CAN HELP TO HEAL THE EARTH !!