Will I ever run out of things to be grateful for, Gentle Reader? Let's hope not. Today I am grateful to two different ladies and their expressions of concern and kindness. This afternoon while waiting for the bus, the middle aged woman next to me politely indicated that one of my shoes was untied. Truthfully, it was but half-untied, had been in that condition all day, and I really didn't feel like bending over to do anything about it, besides which, I would be arriving home within five minutes where I'd be taking them off anyway. Still, she was so sweet about it and said she wouldn't want me to trip or fall, which I've done in the past. I thanked her for her kind concern and I really hope she never loses that light in her. I think it'll always be there in her.
Likewise, when I came to the front door, one of the tenants who was waiting for a visitor opened it to let me in. Then she mentioned that my knapsack appeared to be open. It wasn't really, it just tends not to close very tightly. Still, she was so sweet to take the time to advise me about my bag and hoping that no one would reach in to try to steal my wallet, that all I could do was thank her for being so kind.
I think that if we look carefully enough then we will see that our lives are full of small acts of kindness, and even if we don't notice such acts, what is there to prevent us from performing them? There is a tendency among many people to rush from one appointment to the next, completely sealed in their own little tech universe, so that they are completely cut off from their environment and, by extension, from those around them. This is particularly troubling among Millennials, or anyone who cannot turn off their listening device or put away their tech toy long enough to know really where the hell they are.
Maybe part of the solution is in taking regular and daily tech breaks. Not just while you're sleeping. When is the last time any of you crossed the street or went to the store fully aware of your surroundings? Hmm....Didn't think so.
We have been irreversibly brainwashed, it seems, by the whole cult of self that the advertising media and pop culture keep dishing out on us twenty-four/seven. The only thing that matters is our own self-fulfillment and personal convenience and to hell with everyone else. I think this is what makes technology so seductive. No matter how dependent we are on others providing us those services we simply bask in the sweet tepid puddle of our own narcissistic pleasure, texting, watching, listening, and remaining blissfully entertained while totally oblivious to all the harsh and mind shattering beauty that surrounds us.
We have to start paying more, not less attention to those around us. What if we were hit by a huge earthquake? Whom would we be relying on to help us? The people closest to us. I dread the potential scenario that would likely unfold, given the flock of useless tech-addicted morons so many have turned into.
By the way, the two women who spoke to me so kindly today were not listening to iPods, neither were they focussed on their dear little phones. They were two rather poor looking, humble and very decent ladies. They were aware of their surroundings and they actually cared enough to reach out in friendship. Doesn't say a lot for the rest of you, does it, Gentle Reader?
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