Over the course of my life, I have met with tragedy, sickness, death, anger, frustration, and joy. Happiness is all around us, but sometimes it is just so very difficult to find in our land--and our world today.
Sometimes, even (or even especially) in times of the greatest trial, we find peace. Or goodness. Heroes are among us, and angels. I believe these greatest of things in the human experience actually reside within each of us.
It is, inevitably, the small things, the small moments of life which most dramatically affect us as humans--or, as I like to refer to us, as "belly button kids". We struggle so very much. For me, that is a necessary part of the journey as humankind. Personally, I am proud to be a citizen of the world in these days. I am also proud to be a citizen of the United States of America, of my State of Tennessee, and of my community of Columbia.
We are, by any conceivable definition, not perfect as citizens. But, that IS our lowest common denominator as a people. Every day, and even every moment, there are great, glorious, and wonderful things happening around us. Doctors are saving lives. Teachers are giving our hope of tomorrow to yet another generation. Services are rendered, justice is occasionally served, and lives are changed for the better, even if for but a moment.
But, how do we see the good around us? By what mechanism is it that we instinctively know good? I hope you will follow me below the squiggledoodlethingey fold, so we can talk about it.
"It's a crazy world, and I'm a happy guy!"
This is a classic line from comedian Bill Engvall, but I know of few others today which are more true or relevant to our people. There are so many things to confuse or confound us that we cannot help but become inundated with them. I know that millions are starving, homeless, mentally ill, spiritually void, physically handicapped, and emotionally starved today...in America. Multiply this by a few orders of magnitude, and you begin to see the canvas upon which today's world is drawn.
But, as my dear Grandmother would say, "That's why pencils have erasers!"
This canvas is ever changing. There is little about it that is permanent. Yes, some of the choices we make are longer lasting than others. Yes, some things happen which simply cannot be undone. But, for the most part, things can change. But my life-long philosophy has been that it's not about what you get in this world. It's what you do with what you get that matters most.
I work every day to try to become the change I seek, from my bedroom to my home. From the Court House, to my State House, to the Halls of Congress, and even to the White House. I do that because I believe it is my right and my obligation to do so.
I am but one man, who cannot bear the burdens of the entire world upon my shoulders. I do not try to. I believe that if I do what I can, and understand that there are some things I cannot do, I will have done my part. It's no big deal, really. And, it's NOT about me.
But, there are times when I feel so weighted down with concern that I can barely move. I want sometimes to just turn everything off, and let the world implode upon itself. It's an honest feeling. I just get tired. I get weary of the tiresome and continuous "tyranny of the urgent".
These are the times when my heart, mind and soul actually begin searching for that one spark of hope. This is when I need one good thing to happen within my sphere of knowledge that will reinvigorate my willingness to carry on with all the battles I face daily. Do you ever feel like that?
I have a secret. If you SWARE not to tell but just one other soul, I will share it with you.
One of the (this is not the secret, by the way) reasons I so wanted to participate in this community was because the things I read here sometimes lift me up. I can sometimes feel friends I do not yet know lifting me up and carrying me when I forget how to walk. Someone will write a positive diary about some small thing, or some seeming insignificant act that just makes me want to leap out of my chair and cheer! I'm sure we all have favorites, and I'm beginning to jot down a few names myself. You can find them somewhere in my stream. If you have questions, ask.
But, there is somewhere else I look for those moments as well. (Here's the secret part. Shhh. Mum's it, the word.) I ran across something that was actually sent to me, back in 2008 by a friend who was a witness. What he showed me didn't yet have a name.
It seems a European talent agency had been hired to find a leading role actor for a German production of "The Sound of Music", but could not find enough actors willing to accept the arduous task of performing the role of Maria. While scouring Europe, the agency had a really outrageous idea. They wanted to "announce" the auditions...ready?
In a train station. They knew that they could never get the station manager's permission to make such an announcement. So, they invited over 200 participants in a free, general "casting call". The address? The train station in Antwerp, Belgium. The invitees were sent an address and a time. The group showed up in a warehouse for a grand total of TWO rehearsals, with the secret still kept from them.
Then, they were given a "performance agenda" with a date, time and place. They couldn't believe what they read! Under the orders of absolute secrecy, the group did as they were told. The Station Master agreed to play one particular song on one particular day, at one particular time over the station's Public Address System. Here is the result.
Tell me. After viewing that, how do you feel? How do you think the participants felt as they performed? How do you think the crowd felt as they witnessed this "random act"?
Knowing the story behind the act takes away nothing for me. As I watch the performance, the players and their audience, I am lifted up. Some of these strange happenings do not elicit the same response from me, so I choose the ones which do. I watch them--often. Seeing the joy of the moment, and remembering so many such moments in my own life help me focus again on just how very lucky I am today, and what a magnificent life I have been fortunate to live and experience.
I could pluck them from the bowels of my sadness, my illness--or my discontent. I don't. I energize them by watching others bring a moment of joy and happiness into the crazy world of perfect strangers. I notice. I notice and rejoice in my human-ness. I've never seen my cats clap their paws in a moment of utter, unfettered joy, releasing that unpronounceable but spirit-shifting energy from their souls But because of my furry friends, I see such moments all the time. I think it is because I am always aware they are but one heartbeat away. When I can't find them...I watch them in others.
I greet strangers, and open doors unexpectedly. I give my change to charity. I say the polite things, and I smile often. It is true that, if you really need a smile, just give one away. Another philosophy of mine is that the life you are most likely to impact the greatest is that of a person whom you most likely will never meet.
Sometimes, you can start something good. You may change someone's moment, or their day. Perhaps, in just the right convergence, you can change a life.
Now known as Flash Mobs, the idea of incidental joy permeated the original meaning. Some corporations (like, for instance McDonalds) gave the new venue a try, but got some bad press for trying to co-opt for profit what was originally meant to simply bring a moment's joy and happiness to complete strangers.
The idea has caught on. I'm very glad it has. I keep looking for new ones. You can, too. I hope you will. It is the experience of a momentary joy which can change a life, or even save one.
I know. It happens for me all the time. From the silence and agony of the "0430"s of life, to the hectic struggle simply to keep up with the warp-speed changes in our world on a daily basis, those joyous moments come. Joy is, like guilt, an inside job. You can find them, and keep them to give them away to a total stranger--or not.
When I need to feel the joy of goodness, I simply find a Flash Mob online. They're everywhere. There is even one amazing foundation that has committed millions of dollars to providing just such moments. I believe they are very much changing the joy and happiness of our world in their work. I'll give you just one more example (one of theirs). Look and feel. See the numbers of people who works for a five-plus minute "forever moment".
For some, it was a random act of culture. For some, it was an impromptu moment of extreme worship. For some, it was a bizarre experience. But, for all involved, it was a forever moment.
For me, it was, is, and will undoubtedly be many times hence a forever moment of extreme joy and happiness. When I can't find it, I look for it. Sometimes, I want so badly just to go to a mall and smile at people. I must admit, it is for extremely selfish reasons. But, it is a very strange thing. When we give joy, we receive it back in amazing measure.
I highly encourage such behavior. For us all.
If we are granted tomorrow, tomorrow will come with it's strife, tragedy, anger, frustration, and determination to fight the fights we fight. Tomorrow will also have the potential for forever moments, too. I hope you will know how and where to find yours.
Thanks to the selfless acts of strangers, I know where to find mine.