Lately I've been struggling with the concept of reasoning. Why do things happen? Why don't other things happen? Am I being punished for something I did? There's those who believe in fate and others who believe you create your own destiny.
Towards the beginning of the summer I was all about taking chances. I was about making things happen. Trying to manipulate a situation. I was struggling with there being a "right" time vs a "wrong" time and not knowing which was when.
Another popular saying 'good things take time,' sums up my attitude about the situation from here-on-out. I've decided that patience is the key. There are times when we known when to act on situation but for those instances we don't know what to do, why would we act? Our uncertainty only leaves room for recklessness and damage.
I realize we don't always have time. It is poor to wait too long, because we don't have forever. If we wait too long, we simply end up with nothing. But when you're faced with a dilemma, you usually know your time frame; you know when it's too late.
Rarely do we take the time to stop and think about our actions. We don't think about the possible repercussions, about the positives and the negatives. As a country we are wrapped up in the idea 'the sooner the better,' when that's not necessarily the answer. We're always rushing from one place to the next, one idea to the next. Time is money, so the faster we move the more money we make or save. But then there is evidence that faster is not always better. That the faster we move, the more likely we are to mess up. And depending on the severity of the damage, the consequence could be great.
So if you're unsure, why rush it? If you're hesitant, sometimes it's better to play it safe than sorry.
Everyone's heard the saying "everything happens for a reason." It's weird when you think about it though, because we're always using it when we don't understand why something is happening, or not happening for that matter. And it's usually bad things or things we don't want to happen. It's like we need to justify the reason for every single occurrence. Then five years down the road when something good happens you say 'oh, so this why I didn't get that job promotion,' or 'this is why he dumped me.' We always need a reason for everything. But the reality of it is, sometimes there is no good reason. Things just happen. Sometimes they're bad, sometimes they're good, and often times they're unexplainable.
Bad things will happen in life. Sometimes explainable, sometimes they're not. But don't dwell on it too long. Time will pass. And as time passes good things will begin to come. It's all about perception. The more you focus on the bad/negative and find things to complain about, well then it will seem like your life is less satisfactory than others. But by appreciating the good and enjoying what you are given, you might be able to see things once viewed as bad in a new light.
So let's stop trying to explain everyday occurrences. We would be able to move on much more quickly if we stopped dwelling on what already happened. Just accept it for what it is and concentrate on what can be.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Be Charitable
It seems as though our world is always in trouble. Poverty, war, natural disasters, you name it. For those of us strongly affected by these things, we want to do something to help. We want to reach out to those in need whether it's volunteering our time, money, etc.
Charity. That is what we call our actions or donations of helping others. There are charities out there for everything. Animals, illnesses, education, veterans. It's a never-ending list. And once you donate to one charity, it seems they all expect something from you.
Recently at work we have started selling dollar-donation cards. You pay a dollar and write your name on a card with a picture of a cute kitten or puppy. Your donation then goes to Maumee Valley Save-A-Pet. You can spend the rest of the day feeling good because you "saved a life." I was surprised at how many people were willing to donate a dollar, but at the same time wasn't surprised or offended if someone rejected the opportunity.
The other day a boy of 8 or 10 came through my line. I didn't ask him if he wanted to donate a dollar simply because he was so young. I figured, kids want to save their money to buy things like video games, toys, and movies. I watched as the boy pulled all of the change out of his pocket and put it in a donation box on my register. This box is always there and goes to Nature's Nursey, an organization interested in helping preserve wildlife. He paid for his purchase and also put his change in the box. While it may not have been a lot, it still touched my heart to see this act of generosity from someone so young. It made me think... I was then disappointed in all those people who refused to donate. While I understand that there are those who simply cannot afford to donate a dollar, I would have to assume that those who can afford to buy $40 and $50 bags of dog food can spare an extra dollar to help feed and care for those animals who are incapable/in need of a loving home. This boy who has no income except for maybe a weekly or monthly allowance just gave what little he had and yet those adults who have steady incomes rudely mumble "NO" or make an excuse as to why they don't want to donate.
There's a lot of problems in the world. And there's a lot of organizations to attempt to help/solve these problems, but we're in trouble if we're going to be relying on children to step up and empty their piggy banks.
"Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself." -Leo Tolstoy
We as adults find others to point our fingers at and blame for the problems. "Those republicans," or "those blacks," or "those Jews." It's never our fault nor is it our responsibility to try to help. These accusations and stereotypes then only create more problems and more organizations.
We can't change the world, we can merely change our attitudes and behaviors about the way we perceive it. By living in a manner that shows your beliefs, values, passions, you can then encourage and motivate others. But until you are living in a way that shows you are trying to be the best you can be, why should anyone want to follow?
Like I said, I realize we can't donate to every organization because there are probably millions if not billions out there. But if you get the opportunity to donate a dollar or volunteer for a cause you believe in, why not do it? It may not seem like a like of money, or you might not be able to put a lot of hours into it, but think about it... if 50 people at each Pet Supplies Plus store donated a dollar every day we'd be making $200 per day. This donation is running throughout the month of August, or for 31 days. 31 days multiplied by $200 is $6,200 dollars. If each of us do our own small part, we can maker a bigger and better contribution. By playing our role, we come together as a whole, to make this world a better place...
Charity. That is what we call our actions or donations of helping others. There are charities out there for everything. Animals, illnesses, education, veterans. It's a never-ending list. And once you donate to one charity, it seems they all expect something from you.
Recently at work we have started selling dollar-donation cards. You pay a dollar and write your name on a card with a picture of a cute kitten or puppy. Your donation then goes to Maumee Valley Save-A-Pet. You can spend the rest of the day feeling good because you "saved a life." I was surprised at how many people were willing to donate a dollar, but at the same time wasn't surprised or offended if someone rejected the opportunity.
The other day a boy of 8 or 10 came through my line. I didn't ask him if he wanted to donate a dollar simply because he was so young. I figured, kids want to save their money to buy things like video games, toys, and movies. I watched as the boy pulled all of the change out of his pocket and put it in a donation box on my register. This box is always there and goes to Nature's Nursey, an organization interested in helping preserve wildlife. He paid for his purchase and also put his change in the box. While it may not have been a lot, it still touched my heart to see this act of generosity from someone so young. It made me think... I was then disappointed in all those people who refused to donate. While I understand that there are those who simply cannot afford to donate a dollar, I would have to assume that those who can afford to buy $40 and $50 bags of dog food can spare an extra dollar to help feed and care for those animals who are incapable/in need of a loving home. This boy who has no income except for maybe a weekly or monthly allowance just gave what little he had and yet those adults who have steady incomes rudely mumble "NO" or make an excuse as to why they don't want to donate.
There's a lot of problems in the world. And there's a lot of organizations to attempt to help/solve these problems, but we're in trouble if we're going to be relying on children to step up and empty their piggy banks.
"Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself." -Leo Tolstoy
We as adults find others to point our fingers at and blame for the problems. "Those republicans," or "those blacks," or "those Jews." It's never our fault nor is it our responsibility to try to help. These accusations and stereotypes then only create more problems and more organizations.
We can't change the world, we can merely change our attitudes and behaviors about the way we perceive it. By living in a manner that shows your beliefs, values, passions, you can then encourage and motivate others. But until you are living in a way that shows you are trying to be the best you can be, why should anyone want to follow?
Like I said, I realize we can't donate to every organization because there are probably millions if not billions out there. But if you get the opportunity to donate a dollar or volunteer for a cause you believe in, why not do it? It may not seem like a like of money, or you might not be able to put a lot of hours into it, but think about it... if 50 people at each Pet Supplies Plus store donated a dollar every day we'd be making $200 per day. This donation is running throughout the month of August, or for 31 days. 31 days multiplied by $200 is $6,200 dollars. If each of us do our own small part, we can maker a bigger and better contribution. By playing our role, we come together as a whole, to make this world a better place...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The World Is Black, The World Is White
What Would You Do?
A reality show on ABC, ever heard of it?. The executives create a scenario and hire actors to role play. They then use hidden cameras to record real people's reactions to the scenario at hand. I'd never heard of this show until last weekend when I happened to catch the end of it. The show had hired three white, teenage males to vandalize a car bought for the show. In the parking lot of a public park the boys spray painted foul language and kicked the car. A few passerby approached the boys and confronted them about their behavior, many just passed the boys in utter shock, too afraid to approach or comment because they were outnumbered.
The produces were then curious what would happened if they switched from white teenagers to black ones. The result? Three phone calls to the police within minutes. No one approached the boys. Immediate action was taken. Oh but it gets better. The show highlighted these points and people's responses to white vs. black. Notice how the police were called at least three times for the black boys, and not at all for the white. I forgot to mention, the police were called once during the white boys time. Oh, but wait. The black actors had fallen asleep in a car nearby. Someone had called to report that there were a couple black teenagers that looked like they were ready to rob something or someone. Wait, WHAT?! Is this a joke? Three boys are vandalizing, spray painting, and kicking a car, and yet the sleeping black boys have the police called on them. Really??
Racism. It's obviously not as big of a problem as it used to be, but sometimes it surprises me that it's still as bad as it is. Why do people think they are better than someone because of the color of their skin? The only thing I can come up with is ignorance.
People come up with these ideas about people of different colors and different races. They don't give anyone a chance. Well in personal experience I've noticed a few things. When you create a stereotype, you pull out actions/appearances that support these stereotypes. You ignore the people that don't match your profile, yet you attack the ones that do. By ignoring those who disprove your theory, you're missing your opportunity to learn. Point #2: there gets to be a certain point when we just give up. Example: a young child in school, the reputation is he's a trouble maker. At first he tries to show his teachers and peers that they have a misconception of him. But every good thing he does goes ignored and only the bad noticed. Well, what's the point in him trying if it's not going to help? He quits trying and goes with the 'bad boy' behavior, acting out more than he used to. White people get these misconceptions about people of color. The people of color try to break the barrier yet their efforts go unnoticed. Why should they try to conform if we're not going to accept them either way?
How about this...White people have this idea that many people of color (not just blacks) are criminals. But as we saw from What Would You Do? statistics could be wrong. The crime of the whites went ignored. What other crimes/trouble caused by whites have gone ignored? Are criminal records and statistics accurate? Crime is crime, no matter the color of your skin.
On the other end, I believe using the term "racism" has gotten out of hand. If a white person were to have a problem with someone of color, it's automatically "because [they're] black." I don't think this is right either. Racism isn't something to joke around about.
Recently a former teacher/basketball coach and a family friend of mine has been accused of being racist. Supposedly he's made some vulgar and racial comments. In my opinion these accusations are pure ignorance. Anyone that knows this person knows that he is a "jokester." He likes to make people laugh. While his comments may be inappropriate at times, he would never do anything to purposely offend anyone, and if told he was offending, I believe he would change his actions immediately. Before screaming "RACIST" these people need to think about the repercussions of their accusations. Not only are they calling this man a racist, but they are potentially ruining his career, reputation, and life because even if he is not a racist (which he in no way, shape, or form is) he still has to deal with the media, the board of education, the NAACP, and the new false identity created for him.
Ever heard the song black and white by Three Dog Night?
The ink is black, the page is white
Together we learn to read and write
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight
And now a child can understand
That this is the law of all the land, all the land
The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
Together they grow to see the light, to see the light
And now at last we plainly see
We'll have a dance of Liberty, Liberty!
We are not the United States in any form. Color of skin is just one of the many things that separate us as a country. Until we can learn to accept each other for who we are, no matter our race, social status, gender, etc. we will continue to be divided. Until we can surrender our pride and cease judgement, only then will we be united. As the song says, only then will we have Liberty. Unfortunately, I believe it will be a LONG time, if ever, that we will come together as one. I hope we prove me wrong.
A reality show on ABC, ever heard of it?. The executives create a scenario and hire actors to role play. They then use hidden cameras to record real people's reactions to the scenario at hand. I'd never heard of this show until last weekend when I happened to catch the end of it. The show had hired three white, teenage males to vandalize a car bought for the show. In the parking lot of a public park the boys spray painted foul language and kicked the car. A few passerby approached the boys and confronted them about their behavior, many just passed the boys in utter shock, too afraid to approach or comment because they were outnumbered.
The produces were then curious what would happened if they switched from white teenagers to black ones. The result? Three phone calls to the police within minutes. No one approached the boys. Immediate action was taken. Oh but it gets better. The show highlighted these points and people's responses to white vs. black. Notice how the police were called at least three times for the black boys, and not at all for the white. I forgot to mention, the police were called once during the white boys time. Oh, but wait. The black actors had fallen asleep in a car nearby. Someone had called to report that there were a couple black teenagers that looked like they were ready to rob something or someone. Wait, WHAT?! Is this a joke? Three boys are vandalizing, spray painting, and kicking a car, and yet the sleeping black boys have the police called on them. Really??
Racism. It's obviously not as big of a problem as it used to be, but sometimes it surprises me that it's still as bad as it is. Why do people think they are better than someone because of the color of their skin? The only thing I can come up with is ignorance.
People come up with these ideas about people of different colors and different races. They don't give anyone a chance. Well in personal experience I've noticed a few things. When you create a stereotype, you pull out actions/appearances that support these stereotypes. You ignore the people that don't match your profile, yet you attack the ones that do. By ignoring those who disprove your theory, you're missing your opportunity to learn. Point #2: there gets to be a certain point when we just give up. Example: a young child in school, the reputation is he's a trouble maker. At first he tries to show his teachers and peers that they have a misconception of him. But every good thing he does goes ignored and only the bad noticed. Well, what's the point in him trying if it's not going to help? He quits trying and goes with the 'bad boy' behavior, acting out more than he used to. White people get these misconceptions about people of color. The people of color try to break the barrier yet their efforts go unnoticed. Why should they try to conform if we're not going to accept them either way?
How about this...White people have this idea that many people of color (not just blacks) are criminals. But as we saw from What Would You Do? statistics could be wrong. The crime of the whites went ignored. What other crimes/trouble caused by whites have gone ignored? Are criminal records and statistics accurate? Crime is crime, no matter the color of your skin.
On the other end, I believe using the term "racism" has gotten out of hand. If a white person were to have a problem with someone of color, it's automatically "because [they're] black." I don't think this is right either. Racism isn't something to joke around about.
Recently a former teacher/basketball coach and a family friend of mine has been accused of being racist. Supposedly he's made some vulgar and racial comments. In my opinion these accusations are pure ignorance. Anyone that knows this person knows that he is a "jokester." He likes to make people laugh. While his comments may be inappropriate at times, he would never do anything to purposely offend anyone, and if told he was offending, I believe he would change his actions immediately. Before screaming "RACIST" these people need to think about the repercussions of their accusations. Not only are they calling this man a racist, but they are potentially ruining his career, reputation, and life because even if he is not a racist (which he in no way, shape, or form is) he still has to deal with the media, the board of education, the NAACP, and the new false identity created for him.
Ever heard the song black and white by Three Dog Night?
The ink is black, the page is white
Together we learn to read and write
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight
And now a child can understand
That this is the law of all the land, all the land
The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
Together they grow to see the light, to see the light
And now at last we plainly see
We'll have a dance of Liberty, Liberty!
We are not the United States in any form. Color of skin is just one of the many things that separate us as a country. Until we can learn to accept each other for who we are, no matter our race, social status, gender, etc. we will continue to be divided. Until we can surrender our pride and cease judgement, only then will we be united. As the song says, only then will we have Liberty. Unfortunately, I believe it will be a LONG time, if ever, that we will come together as one. I hope we prove me wrong.
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