The Simple Way
Too often, I watch the news or tune in on the radio and here a story that is already finished. The character, names, places and situations are all the same. What’s new are the names or dates. Then the story tries to get interesting. It has to try, because it has been repeated many, many times.
Today, I walked about a hundred yards to get to a table where two guys were sitting and collecting money for a local charity. I had driven past them and caught eye contact, briefly. At that moment, I decided to stir. I stirred the conversation by being another person who looks and keeps driving. I then stirred the conversation by walked from a distance to drop a few dollars in the jar and turn to go back without another task to complete in that area. What was the conversation then?
Bad is around us like a heavy wet blanket. Good doesn’t make the headlines in the news shows and has been relegated to forgotten space. Perhaps, my gesture was contrived, but it was genuine and hopefully lifted a corner of that wet blanket to give two guys a whiff of hope. It is important to recognize that it was contrived, but anymore, effort is required to change the course. Today, things aren’t done because they are right, all too often because there is an expected reinforcement. We aren’t correcting the path of a car, but rather a train that rides fast on track we have laid toward a destination of “nowhere”. Pushing a train requires effort. No longer do we have the luxury of turning the steering wheel.
I remember a short story that described a few mythical characters with names like, “not me” and “someone else”. The story unfolded a path of action and inaction based on the folks with the dysfunctional monikers. The task wasn’t done, but you knew it wouldn’t be only a few short lines into the story. While I remember (roughly) the first time I saw the story, I will freely and ashamedly admit that it took a few decades for me stop being a character in it.
Some nations change only with the nature. Crops fail or locusts swarm. Other nations wait to be invaded and assimilated into other nations. Some nations fall into obscurity. Even more will (to borrow a phrase) shoot themselves so often in the foot that the successive shots will have to go higher and higher up due to a lack of target due to that previous shot. Eventually they will be giving themselves a haircut. We are, sadly, all of these.
What does it take to change a nation? People fear the unknown more than anything else. I cannot believe that there are more than a handful of different types of groups of Americans when it comes to the topic of fixing things: ignorant, uniformed, misinformed, apathetic, zealots, patriots and enemies. Sometimes, people can fit very nicely and easily into many of these categories.
I choose a more simple way. Today, I made a point, quietly and anonymously to change the course of the train. Yesterday, I exercised courtesy. Tomorrow, I will perform a RAK (random act of kindness). Nothing will require much effort or money.
Beyond the very easy, I will also change my nation in other ways within my control. I will respect the person while disagreeing vehemently with their position. I will speak up when things are not right, even if it means discomfort. I will not hide comfortably into a demographic, group, SES or political affiliation. I will also make every effort to remove or avoid personal gain from public endeavor. If you think about it, who pays you to till your garden? Our garden is just a bit bigger and has a few more weeds. I will tend my garden dutifully. Will you join me?
— R. A. Grier