My friend has a recent saying that I tend to agree with. It’s that if you’re alive, then your life is like a medical heartbeat monitor, filled with ups and downs. It’s only when you cease to exist when everything flatlines, and you don’t experience any joy or sadness.
It’s a reasonable metaphor about life. To say that everyone has periods of enjoyment and periods of suffering as well. No one is immune to the trials and tribulations that will be inevitably thrown towards us at some point in time. And there’s a sense of comfort in knowing that. In knowing that you’re not alone in all the things that you’re going through.
I guess some people have it “better off” or “worse off” than others, depending on your own perspectives and ideals. For myself, I’ve been relatively grateful that thus far I can still afford being able to put food on the table. That I can still physically move and eat and dress myself. To be able to be relatively functional is something that I’m very grateful to have.
Some people don’t have that luxury and are suffering in some form or the other, especially in the USA where income inequality has continued to rise through the years. The richer seem to get richer. And the poorer seem to get poorer, as the middle class gets squeezed and is not what it used to be anymore.
People are out there suffering from disabilities. Suffering from job loss or divorce or other relationship issues. Suffering from some form of insufficiency. And it’s hard to figure out how to deal with all the pain that you see in the news these days.
Sometimes, it really feels like a zero-sum game, where somebody else’s gain is someone else’s loss. And that’s a bit disheartening to see. However, where there’s a will there’s a way and if we can all find some middle ground to negotiate and expand the pie, then there should be a way where every party wins and everyone can be better off in some form or fashion.
Of course, it’s easier said than done. And often, it’s easy for the more powerful to get into “bully mode” and pressure the other party into doing something that they don’t want. Sometimes, it gives me a headache just to read about all the dissatisfaction that is out there in the world today. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
If I had a magic wand, I’d wish that I could wave all the suffering away at the tip of a hat, so that everyone can experience some form of peace and bliss in their lives. I know it sounds very “woo-woo” and “lovey-dovey” but I do wish that all the pain in this world can subside and that there can be some form of utopia that you see in the sci-fi movies or read about in the novels.
Alas, that is all just fiction and reality most likely will never be that way. So in that sense, the world really is an unfair place to be. And it’s hard for people to move up from the bottom of the proverbial ladder to see higher up towards greener pastures.
What can we do to help the less fortunate? I’m not really sure. We can of course see where our own individual strengths lie and use that to service the community in some form or the other. For me, I personally see how hard it is to do that too. Because I also need to take care of my parents and my loved ones, along with my family business. Sometimes, there is simply no time in the day to dedicate yourself to other outside causes beyond that.
Family matters have been taking up more of my time this past year, for better or worse, and I am admittedly not doing as much as I used to in terms of service towards the general community. However, I hope that I can still help impact the world for the better in everything that I do, whether it is opening the door for a fellow stranger, or helping my customers find the products that they are looking for. Everything that I do can have some ripple effect to help make the world a better place in some form or fashion.
Of course, I am not a prophet nor am I trying to play God. I’m unfortunately not a genie that can just grant wishes to everyone that I see, so that they can improve their lives for the better. But I’ll do my part (as little as that is) in this world to make sure that I live my life with passion and enjoyment and peace. And hopefully every action that I do can rub off on others and help them find their own version of peace and joy.
I guess sometimes, there’s no need to think too hard about it. No need to be proactively engaging yourself. Sometimes, being yourself is enough. Someone somewhere out there in this world will appreciate your service, your products, your beliefs, your actions, and you will have done your part to change this world hopefully for the better.
So just be you. If you want to make money, go ahead and make some money. If you want to donate to a local charity, go do that. If you want to hang out with your close friends, by all means go ahead. Every action (and even every thought) that you take is enough to help transmit your own positive personal influence towards the world. And that will be enough.
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