I wanted to formally introduce myself to you in this medium. I'm Yusef. My friends call me everything from "Yu" to "Mr. Yu" to "Hey Yu". I have a multi year history with blogging in some way, shape, or form for everything from the NFL (New York Football Giants) to the MLB (The New York Mets and The New York Yankees). I also am a diehard fan of the Michigan Wolverines in College Football, and the New York Knicks in the NBA.
This new incarnation, "Mirror Time" is my attempt to re-initiate conversation and dialogue into the topics that touch us most. Most social media consists of us yelling at each other and immediately insulting a critic when they don't agree. I have even seen those exchanges go from bad to nearly criminal and it is a poor and ineffective way to use such an incredible avenue to share thoughts and ideas and perhaps, believe it or not, encourage each other as fellow human beings.
This is my attempt to engage conversation and perhaps even help others in a meaningful and effective way while gaining help from all of you through insights, anecdotes, and life lessons that I otherwise might never have had access to. So here we are, starting a new journey together. I feel compelled to share something with you though. You will find that my thoughts, ideas, and stories are perhaps not where you are or quite frankly some things you cannot relate to. Worst case scenario, you don't even want to relate to them. You might just like your little bubble just the way it is: closed, insulated, protective, and impervious to the penetration of an alternative view. I totally respect that and even if I find it soul-crushingly sad, I won't attempt to change that. What I would like to do is offer some questions for your perusal and reflection. None of my readers will ever know that you were thinking of them unless you post a comment. Here are the things I would like to ask you:
1) Are you clearly able to detect where you are in life?
When I say that, I am referring not to your job status, your position in social circles, or how many kids or grandkids you have. I am more referring to your purpose in this huge sphere we call "life or reality". Do you see yourself doing what you envisioned yourself doing when you were very young? Has those innocent dreams of being a doctor or fireman died or are they merely suppressed by "real life" difficulties that have shaped where you are currently finding yourself in? Do you see that you are walking in a purpose that transcends your own wants and desires and benefit a greater cause than your own? I am a former life coach so instinctively I want to try to help people move further into success but ultimately I just care about people. This blog is going to exhibit that from time to time. Just a heads up.
2) Do you have a sense of humor?
Why is that relevant? Oh, it is and for several reasons but one thing I have learned is that we are exposed to much from the social networking to our television sets to cinema or just the activity at the water cooler at work. We are always around funny people doing funny things. They crash into walls on You Tube in some attempt to be "different". They are irreverent about things that most people take very serious. Or maybe they just say something that reminds you of better times and you can't help but laugh. If you haven't laughed in 5-10 years, you are going to hate my blog. I'm going to try (successfully or not) to make you laugh. Doggone it. I am going to make you laugh. It's a goal.
3) Are you a giver?
This goes beyond the obvious. When your baby cries, you give them milk. When your dog whimpers, you give them kibble or whatever the newest corn free dog food might be. That's responsibility in its basic and more common form. It arguably may be common to give from an excess of goods that can be given. What's less common in today's time is giving from what we may see is a limited supply. When the family ahead of you on the supermarket checkout line is fumbling around to find their debit card or enough dollar bills to pay for their groceries, does it pluck your heart strings to reach into your wallet and help them? When a man is crouching near the exit door of your local Wal-Mart, does it behoove you to ask him what he needs? Do you feel it's normal to offer your services in areas where no one asked for help but the need is painfully apparent? As a proponent and avid user of social networking, you might think you are already a giver because you share your daily Bible verse or inspirational quote every morning on your timeline. Hey, that's really nice! The giving I'm talking about cost you something that you might not be able to re-attain and you will likely not be repaid for giving away. I won't be taking up any donations for my own charity but I might ask you to look at the world around you with a different lens and perhaps we do the "human thing" a little more often than just at Christmas time.
4) Do you like the entire bag of M&M's or just a favorite color?
You're not being psycho-analyzed. I promise. Do you pick out the yellow M&M's and give away the rest? There's actually people out here that do just that. They might live in your neighborhood. Heck, they might be reading this blog post right now. We are living in a world it seems where we are always being asked to take sides or only embrace what makes us feel comfortable. "If I don't understand it, kill it" is a very antiquated, "hill-billyian" way of approaching the nuances around us and most of us know it can't work well for the whole if we adopt that mindset. My favorite color is blue but I have other clothes in my closet. I love chili but I can't eat that every day. Then I would likely clear rooms with more than just my incredible personality. I have to be open to try new things, and consider new ideas, and not summarily dismiss them without, at least, understanding what I am summarily dismissing. This blog is going to talk about multiple different topics of the day and thoughts that come out of my head. (Yeah, that's trouble but here we are!) A mixed bag if ever there was one. Spoiler Alert: Every M&M in the bag has a different color but they all taste exactly the same. I'm sorry but I couldn't let the façade continue any longer.
I hope you have decided that this blog will be interesting enough to read. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics presented and I sincerely hope you share them with others. The best kept secret in the world is about to be let out of the bag: We need each other. We are made for interaction with each other. And we are guaranteed to see or hear something that will make us rethink some things. Might as well enjoy the experience.
