There have been quite a few topics on my mind as of late, but this particular issue has come to the forefront of what I need to get "out of my system."
I cannot stand to follow the news. I cannot stand to have conversations with people who are drowning in negativity. I cannot stand to be stuck in the gray and black hues of an oppressive life.
Anyone who has known me for a decent chunk of time knows that I have struggled with my own brand of depression and anxiety; it has been through meditation and Buddhism that I feel as though I am finally budding and blooming into a healthy and wonderful adult; that's the whole point of this blog - I want to share some of it with others and hope they may experience even a small amount of what I have been blessed with over the last year, even through the down parts.
I have been catching stories in the news lately about various acts of slaughter, violence and so forth. I know that people who aren't involved with these violent acts are finding themselves angry and frustrated that this is and has been happening in our society. This behavior is simply senseless.
Unfortunately, the individual has a difficult time stopping mass murder and whatnot. This is where a new theory comes into play. It starts with the Buddhist meditation practice of Loving Kindness. If you practice meditation or are considering it, this practice is an excellent one as you are focusing positive energy onto someone else. However, that's not quite what I'm driving at.
Making a change in the world, i.e., removing the violence, begins with the small acts amongst each other. It begins with smiles and "good mornings" and polite manners of holding doors open. How do you feel when a stranger performs some small act of kindness towards you? I know for me it usually brightens my day and gives me something pleasant to reflect on later in the day.
I am not suggesting we stop our lives just to take up the practice of helping strangers thereby neglecting our usual duties. I am merely suggesting that while we perform our usual duties, we incorporate these small acts of generosity and kindness. The theory is that these small acts will create a ripple effect and help disarm the negativity that surrounds us leading to acts of violence. Forgive the cliche, but smiles are contagious.
If you, as an individual, carry around anger and frustration, what message are you sending off? Yes, there are terrible things happening in the world, but there are good things happening too. You can't march off to Syria and stop the slaughter that is happening there but you can express your love of life and your love for the lives of others (even Syrians) by acting in kindness - others will begin to act in kindness and create a collective; the message send through this behavior will be louder and stronger than any sense of frustration.
Maybe I'm just dreaming of this to happen someday, someday people will love each other again and express this through the small acts. It's part of my life to love, listen, and care...I hope you consider the same. Don't get frustrated at what you can't control; instead, work on what you can control, in your own little life through your own little actions, and be proud of what you can accomplish for others in a single day. Because, friends, that's all we have - today.
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