“My message is the practice of compassion, love and kindness. Compassion can be put into practice if one recognizes the fact that every human being is a member of humanity and the human family regardless of differences in religion, culture, color and creed. Deep down there is no difference.”
- His Holiness The Dalai Lama
In my travels around the blogs and life over the past few weeks I’ve noticed certain trends:
- Blogs and websites devoted to the mocking of others in ‘good’ fun
- Depression
- Loss
- Illness
- Nonconstructive debating
I’m not sure if it’s always been this way or if right now the universe is in an unbalanced state in both real life and in the real lives of the people in the computer. Or perhaps I’m just noticing it now because, for once, I’m not affected. Everyone seems to be getting sick, sick or are feeling better after being sick. Everyone seems to be getting laid off or losing contracts and clients. Everyone seems to be overwhelmed, underwhelmed and depressed.
I truly hope everyone feels better. I truly hope that by losing jobs and clients and contracts that people are eventually able to see it as good things falling apart so better things can fall together. That passions can be explored and dreams can be followed and eventually people come to realize that the only thing stopping them from pursuing their dreams and passions is themselves and their fear. I hope that people in or at the edge of darkness are able to find a light naturally and if not, then I hope that in conjunction with their chemical wonders they seek immediate therapy to not just cover and bandage, but peel back layers and fix their insides with a desire to live drug-free happily again one day. Regardless, I’m proud of people who are speaking out about the dark place and doing something, anything, about it. Talking people are good sometimes.
In other times and places, people can’t seem to stop talking. There is no human family here. There is no giving or compassion or kindness or humanity rather a bunch of people trying to have the loudest voice. Huge yawns are being had here; this is not ground-breaking, precedent-setting, eye-opening stuff you’re talking about, rather, the big bad company de jour. Why not live and let live? Move on. Walk away and join groups that are doing things that leave an impression on something or someone. Why not speak out for real causes that create good; give yourselves wholly and selflessly to something you passionately believe in and expect nothing in return. Sadly, giving away “goodies” on your giveaway blog doesn’t count. A shady company that produces craptastic compounded foods in a factory and contributes to the pollution on our planet with it’s plastics is not breaking news nor something you passionately believe in, and if it is why not go support it or fight against it on your own time and buck? Why in the world are you talking about this out loud to the people inside the computer instead of doing something tangible about it? Will you recall that mighty post on your deathbed? Will your loved ones recall it when delivering the eulogy at your funeral? Hey?! Why not decide for you rather than jump on a bandwagon based on what’s pushing into your never-ending Twitter streams from people you think are popular. Be your own and feed your own opinions to those who sit around your own dinner table while eating and drinking whatever you want because that is your choice. And that’s a choice I will respect you for; a silence I will greatly appreciate while seeking out people who are talking about something good, thanks.
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In other travels I’ve been stumbling onto posts, updates and people complaining about wanting better, wanting more behind guises of fairness and equality when the underlying messages are screaming, “I want more and better than I already have because I deserve more and better than what I already have and it will bring me happiness”. (Your sense of entitlement is disheartening as is your source of happiness and that is A-OK because that is you and your values and who am I to judge people’s sources of happiness?) But I feel like this is the exact reason why in Western civilization, seeking happiness is often considered self-centered and indulgent. Say to anyone, “I just want to be happy,” and half the time you feel like a selfish jerk afterward. It’s also the reason why it’s becoming increasingly hard to find people who are actually happy and content with what they have; people who are finding happiness in not getting more and better, but in giving away what they do have to people who have less or using their incredible voices to bring light to an important cause.
Acts of selfless giving? Beautiful.
Gratefulness? Beautiful.
Compassion? Beautiful.
So while I sit here and chuckle to myself thanking my lucky stars that I have a choice to turn it off and am not forced to live with it or sleep with it or meet it for coffee on a weekly basis or talk to it on the phone. I don’t know why people act, think and feel the way they do or why they have these self-serving agendas. And I don’t waste my time trying to figure it out anymore, rather, chalk it up to forgivable human dysfunction and call it a day.
And in calling it a day I turn to humanity. I search for people, stories and causes full of giving, gratefulness, positivity and kindness. These people have passion. These people are using their voices and hearts for good. I’ve walked away from these blogs feeling immensely happy and inspired to be a better person myself.These people are saying things that should and hopefully will be remembered.
I thank each and every one of you for brightening my days.
Read their About page. This incredible family of four is awe-inspiring. An excerpt:
What?
Guerrilla Giving is (r)evolutionary–at least it feels that way for us.
Revolutionary because in today’s world, freely giving of our own resources on a mostly daily basis subverts many of our silent agreements (e.g. capital equals security, give as a tax write off, save for a rainy day, etc.). It calls into question our ego’s insatiable appetite for self-gratification. It lifts our sights to a higher vision.
Evolutionary, because Guerrilla Giving emboldens us to step into a current of grace that draws us forward as a global community. It opens our hearts and hands to each other, especially to the stranger. It employs a model of trust in the benevolent spirit of life.
As such, Guerrilla Giving is, in truth, a kind of guerrilla marketing for a life of connection—between ourselves, our neighbours, and the transcendent (God, Universe, Spirit, whatever name you choose). There are, of course, countless ways that people nurture their spirituality, whether it’s through yoga, meditation, prayer, or commitment to a spiritual community. All of these are fantastic. We have also found that giving on a (mostly) daily basis is one of the most exhilarating disciplines to teach non-attachment (for me–a daily struggle) and the interdependence of all of life.”
Thank you to the family behind Guerilla Giving, your spirit is moving and inspiring.
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Heather at Singing With My Heart
The lovely Heather is running ‘Comments for a Cause’ throughout the month of October for two amazing causes. Please add her to your readers or bookmarks and visit her daily. You taking a moment out of your busy day, reading and leaving even the shortest of comments will make a difference. Plus, Heather is a wonderful read, so it’s a win/win.
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Misty at Rainy Day in May
Misty is another amazing blog friend who I’ve known forever it seems; I love this woman and I promise you will too. For Breast Cancer Awareness month, all of her October blog ad revenue is going to Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Please go read her story.
Taking a few moments to click around her blog will be an act of selfless giving.
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Thank you, Guerrilla Giving, Heather and Misty for your good hearts and for using your voices in a way that I truly admire and respect.
You inspire, provide hope and are outstanding members of the human family.
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Filed under: heart, positivity!, thought vomit | 7 Comments
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Recent Comments
ramblinred on just more vancityrockgirl on just more Mommy X on just more Misty on just more Heather on just more -
I wonder sometimes if it’s ‘in the air’ and we end up feeding off each other, so that perhaps the ‘darkness’ that we are all stumbling around in can be turned around and we will all find ‘peace’ and happiness again….just a thought.
~K
You, my dear, are a smart woman.
You are very sweet and SO correct. I think you are probably right in that, because you aren’t affected- you see it clearly. Misery loves company so this stuff spreads like wild fire!
I LOVED this post!
I truly hope everyone feels better. I truly hope that by losing jobs and clients and contracts that people are eventually able to see it as good things falling apart so better things can fall together.
If people understood those words …
“I want more and better than I already have because I deserve more and better than what I already have and it will bring me happiness”. (Your sense of entitlement is disheartening as is your source of happiness and that is A-OK because that is you and your values and who am I to judge people’s sources of happiness?)
… then they would not be so involved with the ones above. Only and empty vessel can get filled. You have to be willing to give in order to gain. But we so fiercely hold on to our little pieces of disappointments and giving them value, that we can’t seem to realize that by letting go of them we gain the opportunity to recieve something better.
Good post.
No, my friend, thank YOU for putting the word out. I’m the lucky one, I’m the one who got out and has a voice, I’m the one who is finally going to have her “happily ever after”.
Too many women don’t ever get that chance.
So I am here, I am alive so that they can have their voice, through mine.
xo
I truly hope that I can see that this change in my life is not an ending, but a beginning. I have choices now, and I want to use those choices to the best of my ability. Thank you for this post. A lot of good going on in here.
I know you’ll do great as you’ve got a lot going for you in the form of talents and passions. You’re a writer, photographer and jewelry maker ~ to be able to learn more about and do things with those would be excellent. It’s great to have choice and it’s basically what these long winded posts always come down to in the end
Take care ~ J