Are you privileged to see rows of red roses and trees of green?
Children laughing and playing without a care in the world?
Is your heart buoyed to see old friends enjoying one another's company or new friends emerging on the relationship horizon?
Is the world wonderful to you in this moment?
What do you see on your commute to work?
Do you see that man still sitting in the same corner of the subway platform, in tattered clothes, still hoping for, at least, one hot meal today, despising the circumstances he finds himself in, cursing the voices in his head that daily torment him, hoping today will be better than yesterday?
Or the stock broker on his cell phone bragging about how much money he made this week and what kind of car he plans to buy?
Do you see the group of mean girls bullying the same little girl at the same bus stop every morning? Does it cross your mind what will happen to her? Does it make you sad? Do you feel anything at all?
Do you ever wonder what all the dilapidated buildings, if renovated, could do for that man from earlier and others in similar situations? Do you ever ask "What If"?
Do the skies seem so blue in that moment? Are the trees rich with green if there are any trees to view at all that haven't been replaced by structures of wood and metal?
What do you see when you plug in?
Is every other post a source of outrage?
Has every log-in become a daily war of words over politics, country, or some senseless banter?
It's hunting season every day if you read your local paper. Just without rabbits, ducks, or deer.
Do you feel you are being pressured to care about the rich and famous while what really matters is crumbling around you?
Is this world still wonderful in your eyes?
Cries for help. No one's listening.
Turning off body cams just until.....
Still no clean water. #FlintMichigan
Values trampled under foot.
Children in cages.
Some of my best friends are Latino.
No substantial evidence.
One meal a day. 16,000 kids every weekend. #CharlestonCounty
Look away.
Serial bomber taken into custody.
Predatory lending.
#METOO
Who's right, who's left? Who cares?
Some of my best friends are Asian.
Corporate machines steamrolling transient standards.
I'm a good person.
We feel for the family in this tragedy but we believe we followed procedure.
Still building a wall.
Google South Fulton, GA.
My four and no more!
Babies crying.
Shot in the back.
Some of my best friends are black.
Blame it on the Ambien.
Zero tolerance.
Turn your music up louder so you can't hear her screams.
On administrative leave with pay.
Guilty until proven innocent.
Go back to your country.
Asphyxiated with a baton.
Pretend you don't see it.
Unarmed man shot 41 times.
Who's right, who's wrong? Who cares?
NATIVE Americans.
She made a threatening gesture.
Some of my best friends are white.
Close your blinds.
Acquitted of all charges.
I just don't want to get involved.
No weapon found.
Make America Great Again.
Hearts gone cold.
What a wonderful world. What a wonderful world.
Every one of our voices, everyone of our daily decisions, to speak or remain silent, to look or to shield our eyes, to stand or to lie down help shape what kind of world we have. We can forcefully detach ourselves from history's trajectory and turn away from what we have become or we can embrace it like a snugly teddy bear and accept the coming recourse. We can change our purview and climb harder to adjust our eye line and see things from an alternative point of view, though uncomfortable, but perhaps necessary. Maybe we will see ourselves differently in the process, too.
Sit at your keyboard and pound at the keys. Clutch the remote and yell at the TV, demanding change. Or we can become the change we want and need to see. Even if no one else is listening, you listen. Even if no one else will step out into the fray and lend a hand, you offer both of yours. If your peers are grudgingly giving one dollar, you joyfully give ten dollars. Be the change you want and need to see. While your friends are talking, you tangibly act. Take a picture. Write a letter. Use your personal and professional sphere of influence. Do YOUR best. Push for change as far as your arms can reach. When everything around you and within you is screaming "No! Mind your own business!", you respond with "Yes. I can help!" When they offer a share or a retweet, you promote dialogue, you ask why and listen to the response. You just flat out be intentional and make the effort to do better so we can be better and have better. It only takes one to start on the road to a wonderful world. Until then, we all have to live in this one. Let's take, at least, the first step to making it better.
Okay?
No comments:
Post a Comment