Soapbox

Sometimes the frenzied pace of each day feels like way too much to handle.  More often then not, life has been reduced to a crazed rush from one thing to another, leaving very little time to process the day's events, let alone enjoy them.  It can be hard to remember there are always choices available when just keeping up requires an almost Herculean strength.

A few weeks back, I trekked to the grocery store at the end of a very long day.  The store was busy, so I made my way through the crowd to a reasonably-sized cashier's line.  Ahead of me, a father and son unloaded their carriage while I waited.  I was so spent from the day's activity, I zoned out, snapping out of my stupor when the father asked his son to grab the divider for me so that I could begin unloading my cart.  It was a small courtesy from a stranger that I greatly appreciated, but I also couldn't help but appreciate the example he set for his son.

A few days later, I happened to scan over the morning's news only to find a headline more disturbing than the usual absymal fare.  A helicopter involved in the middle East war had gone done with no survivors.  On the ground, the burning bodies of the crew were dragged around in celebration, and most sickeningly, it was captured on video. 

Now arguably, in a war normal rules of behavior do not apply.  Life and death become interchangeable, and people commonly do the unthinkable.   I couldn't help but notice the contrast between my experience in the store and this event.  On the one hand, we are capable of small courtesies that show kindness and respect for another human being.  On the other, around the globe and across history, we routinely commit atrocities against each other, using our country, ethnicity or faith to justify dehumanizing each other. 

In any situation, there is a moment where we make a choice.  There is nothing forcing us to cut each other off in traffic, to hold a door for the person behind us, or to attempt to understand another person's perspective.  We choose our behavior based upon our perceptions and beliefs. 

Imagine what type of life is possible, then, if we choose not to drive ourselves to the point of exhaustion, not to fill our emotional voids with food, not to get the other guy before he gets us, or not to smile politely  saying everything is fine when it is not.  Imagine what type of world is possible if we choose not to accept the status quo; that poverty, disease and violence is a problem only if it effects us directly.

Just imagine what could be created.

Blessings,

Catie

© copyright 2006 WomanLinks.com

About the Author : Catie Hayes is founder/editor of WomanLinks.com; a community of support, spirituality, growth and empowerment for women. She is a freelance writer, the single homeschooling mom of two, and an avid fan of laughter, spontaneous dancing, cats and chocolate (not necessarily in that order).