As human beings, we are constantly full of emotions and often allow our emotions to dictate our character. We feel a certain way about people, certain races, backgrounds and ways of life, but more importantly we allow how we feel to dictate how we act. It is a reality we unfortunately face, a reality where we judge everyone around us by where they are born, who they believe in and what color their skin is. But how much of our beliefs are actually our own and how much come from where we are born and the color of our skin? Would you hate someone who was born in a different hospital than yours, but yet was down the street? Would you do wrong to someone at work making less than you by 0.50 cents?
You probably answered no to both of those questions, but despite saying no, we have such a strong feeling of discomfort with those that are not like us, and the main reason we do is because as emotional human beings, we allow our emotions to decide how we act rather than our logic, which should be understood as to why people are as they are. We don’t hate or have emotions towards those down the street in a different hospital, or those at work making less than us because we understand why and who they are. However, on the other hand, we don’t understand those other people in different countries, we don’t understand the poor people that live in third world countries and we don’t understand the misery of control in the middle east.
Our lack of understanding and care for understanding is what makes us divided, and incapable of creating true impact-full change in the world. We don’t care for that change because we believe we are happy, even though in most cases, we actually are not but we simply are grateful to be who we are and have what we have. We choose to look the other way rather than get to know and understand those that might one day need our help, and so in happiness we remain divided. A division that grows deeper as the world continues; a division of people, race, religion and more…
There is however a common feeling that brings us together every time, a feeling that is common for 100% of the planet even though some control it better than others, this feeling is the emotion known as fear.
Fear is what keeps people from being great, it is the emotion that keeps those wanting to achieve from trying, and those wanting to love from liking but it is none the less a common emotion that everyone on earth has felt or feels at some point or another. Think about every bad event that has occurred around you, from attacks on our way of life, to leaders creating policies that destroy this country, and even accidents and acts of violence around us. It is fear that makes everyone come together to create change. It is fear that makes everyone come outside their home to gather around a shooting. It is fear that makes people who usually don’t vote, care to vote, and it is fear that makes people want to know others they previously didn’t care for. It is ONLY fear, that common emotion that allows us to act in a state where the common interest is the best option.
But WHY? Why does it have to be this way?
I challenge everyone reading this article today to go out there just one day this week and do something nice for someone you don’t know, expecting nothing in return and I challenge you to try to get to know the person you did something for and understand what makes them amazing in their own way. Some will actually not let you do anything for them, others will reject you not even knowing you and why you are being generous to them but if you can make that change in one person’s life this week and if you can understand someone else that you would have never gotten to know otherwise, then you have helped humanity take on step forward, one not driven by fear.
For that guy that feels like saying what is one act of generosity going to do to change the world, then I want to remember that every major event in this world had to start small at some point by one person, one idea, and one action. That person can and should be YOU.
