I am, in fact, one of those people that always places his/her shopping cart back in the corral or, heaven forbid, I return it to the store (GASP!). I recognize that this seems like a small thing and to some it might be, but it probably means a lot to the person whose car didn’t get scratched or dinged by a loose cart. It also probably means a lot to the person that wanted that parking space or the store employee that has to round up all of the loose carts. Whatever it may mean to anyone else, to me, it’s a quiet symbol that I value doing what I think is the right thing even when I don’t feel like it. It’s also a good lesson for my kiddo. So, why in the world am I blabbering on today about shopping carts? Well, I’m glad you asked, dear reader…
In my random internet wanderings today, I came across the following quote and it made me pause:
“Maybe who we are isn’t so much about what we do, but rather what we’re capable of when we least expect it.”—Jodi Picoult
There is so much going on in the world today. I daresay that it quickly becomes overwhelming for most of us. Twitter rants hidden behind an innocent moniker, the“tweet”. All-out verbal assaults in many instances dominant the airways, figuratively and literally. The lesser self is often on display and I can’t help but wonder if that’s who we really are as a country? Have we allowed our democracy to devolve to such a point that it is permissible to openly hurl vile words with the intent to harm or bolster individual “ratings”?
I would like to think that we are much more than that…that we are in fact like the Wall of Moms who answered a call greater than themselves. A call to protect those that cannot protect themselves; to stand up even in the face of tear gas, rubber bullets, and federal agents with a bloodlust to harm them and those they seek to protect. You see, this quote by Ms. Picoult, I think describes so much more than what its surface value states. Whether you’re an individual or part of a group, I think it is within each of us to stand up when the opportunity arises.
What I mean by this is that often we are confronted with an opportunity to look up from our phones and be of service to our fellow man/woman/child/animal/[insert whatever]. As my mother used to say, “an opportunity missed is an opportunity squandered“. Look around. The world needs us to be better, to be kinder, and to be willing to confront indignities and injustice. Not for glory, fame, or the proverbial “improved ratings”, but rather, because it’s the right thing and because, often, it is the necessary thing. Somewhere in your neighborhood/city/state/country/world, there is an old lady/man crossing the street, a child suffering, an animal that needs rescuing, and a myriad of other needs. What will you do when the opportunity presents itself? Will you become more? I hope the answer is a resounding yes. The world needs you.
R.A. Grando 