If you haven’t heard about this go to this website because I can’t even type the words. It is all we have been hearing about and talking about for the last two days around here:
The last couple days I have had this weird emptiness inside of me. After being locked down in 8th grade when the same level of characters shot up Columbine High School, growing up in an age where nearly every nights’ news has something about a violent crime, and having responded to literally hundreds of stabbings and shootings, I did not expect my self to feel this way. Is it the fact I have shopped at the mall a zillion times? The fact I saw my Papa when they talked about the store pianist? The fact my best friend told me her parents were shopping there? That it’s 2 blocks from the Hobby Lobby store I work at? That for the first time since I moved away 4 years ago, I got calls from my 2 best out-of-state friends, both parents, my brother and my grandma within just a few day period? Actually, probably not. Realistically, in my profession I am used to having my personal life compartmentalized from what I am seeing.
I am just flat sick and tired of bad things happening. I have spent the last 21.9 years of my life trying to figure out how someone actually goes about trying to make this big bad world any smidgen better, how to make a difference to somebody. I am trained in Paramedicine now (which one man from today can attribute his survival to 1 team of my co-workers I know for sure) and am also a volunteer for the American Red Cross. I felt so helpless today. I wanted to be there so bad helping I could taste it.
My hope is that someday everyone will stop living in their own world, stop thinking that the bad stuff that happens is outside of our control. These are our communities, our schools and malls, our friends and family. I also hope that nobody thinks that this can never happen to them because I am telling you blatently right now that not only can it happen to you, but it does happen to you. So if you ask me if I would be scared going into a building where many people had been shot with an assault rifle my answer is yes, but that at least I am going to go down in this world fighting for a better cause instead of sitting numbly on the couch watching the channel 6 news like today. If you’re in politics do it to serve mankind, do business because it provides jobs to the community, because it feeds the families of your employees, if medicine is it, do it because you have something to offer to the patients and to their families instead of because the Mercedes it parks in your garage. I am ready for the masses to stand up and fight the good fight.
Knowing that you and I (unless Dan and I have attracted a new readership to our blog) are going to cure cancer or TB or AIDS or any of the other deadly illnesses of the world. But I really honestly feel like this disease, this falling-through-the-cracks-of-society-need-for-attention-violence-driven-approval-craving-CRAZINESS is preventable! ! Everytime something like this happens we should all slap our selves on the hand and say DAMMIT WHY AM I NOT DOING ANYTHING STILL? WHY DO I STILL WASTE ALL MY EXTRA MONEY AND FREETIME ON POINTLESS CRAP!?? If nothing else just be nice to people. We all need it and we’re all going to need it more as this crap keeps going.
December 7th, 2007 at 8:45 am
This is the best post the blog has have ever had. There is something every man can do… It sounds cheesy but it is love, and love comprehensibly.
Why it is that the whole world doesn’t STILL doesn’t understand we are all on the same side is beyond me. One of my heroes said we are all just onboard “spaceship earth” in what I believe is a vast universe that cares little about our existence. Therefore, to prolong our existence and improve our way of life we all need to WORK TOGETHER to pilot spaceship earth. And where does that start? With love for each other. So that it is all one person needs to do is love and love comprehensibly.
So, if everyone just had a little love for others, they would do eactly what you said… do business for the right reasons, work for the community for the right reasons, and most certainly never act of hate toward each other. Cheesy I know, but just one guy’s feelings on the matter.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:40 am
I agree. My theology teacher today, whom is by far my most favorite teacher EVER (also a Notre Dame alum) said today in our last class of the semester “I hope that you will all go out and BE YOURSELF FOR ANOTHER“. That really made me think of this all again. It’s not like we all need to be Mother Theresa’s, but instead just be ourselves for the betterment of others around us.
December 12th, 2007 at 3:01 am
What if everyone had a little love AND simply believed the Ten Commandments- what a world! What if love turns into passion? You speak of a teacher, Shannon. Two movies to see in light of your comments: “The Ron Clark Story”, and “The Freedom Writers”.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:06 am
Or maybe if no one believed the Ten Commandments… and the world was free from HANDS DOWN the most divisive force mankind has ever known, religion. Not suggesting it, just a thought which arguments could be made for.
December 14th, 2007 at 1:11 am
I, personally, try to live by the whole 10 commandments thing and can see why, mom, you would suggest their usefulness. But what I dont understand is how it is applicable to this. I mean, yeah obviously the not lying, coveting, murdering, stealing thing is all good. But that’s like.. DUH. My whole point was to push beyond just the taking care of ourselves thing. As modern people and modern thinkers, and especially in our society, we are doing a darn fine job just worrying about ourselves. Some of the most kindhearted people in the world, worship a great big idol named Buddha. I guess I just felt like you missed the whole point. Which was: You be the good Mormon thinker (not preacher or judger) for the service of others and Dan is the intellectual for the service of others and I’ll be the ?free spirit? for the betterment of others.. ETC. Really the sabbath day and who you worship thing really just made me go… uhh, why? What good does that do? A lot of people follow those things word for word and still are doing nothing to “love thy neighbor” or create “shalom” and “bodhi” (nirvana).