While
cleaning sinks and toilets the other morning, I discovered a teeny, tiny,
paper cut like split in the end of my left middle finger. If I showed
you, it would be THE finger. You actually could not see the split, but I
guarantee you, it was there. I have now learned that it does not have
to be a large wound to hurt really bad. Taking that further, it does
not have to be a large action to affect (or even effect) something. All
that is required is that it be the right action, at the right place,
and at the right time. OUCH!
Given that thought, what small thing can we do to advance humanity? What can we do that rejects the stifling forces of our culture and our producing/consuming mania, without necessarily throwing out the baby with the bath water? Rather than being "anti" anything or destructive, I suggest we do things that affirm human connections, because it is through human connections that people learn from each other. So in the spirit of a New Year, a new or second chance, and in furtherance of a paradigm shift in thinking and relations, I offer the following suggestions. (I am sure anyone reading this has more and are welcome to offer them.)
1. Buy nothing for a day. Alright, we all know we probably paid something for the food we ate or the clothes we are wearing or the shelter we are in. But keep your cash, debit and credit cards in your pockets and just go through the day with what you have. Won't hurt you a bit and will help you appreciate what you have. In fact, you might have something to talk about when you...
2. Meet a new person. Go out of your way to say something to the cleaning staff, or the bus driver or whoever. It doesn't have to be someone you see often. Just simply introduce yourself and tell the person that you are following advice to make life more worthwhile and wanted to meet someone new. Worse thing they can do is reject your invitation. Even that is a lesson for both of you.
3. Turn off the TV for a day. Simply do not allow it in your life. I know this has been done for a week or more, that some people don't have cable, etc. Again, this is about little shoves, not changing everything at once.
4. Don't use the internet. Same thing as TV or radio. In fact, many of us get our news on the internet instead of the TV anymore.
5. Do something creative. Anything. Draw. Write. Sing. Dance. Paint.
6. Share photographs. These can be any photographs. With your kids, your parents, your friends or even complete strangers. Photographs have such powerful images and can stay with people long after they have given away or lost the picture.
7. Intentionally use the stairs. Exercise and no waste of energy. Double winner.
8. Do not drive anywhere. In fact, do not use a car or other form of fossil fuel burning transportation at all. Walk or ride a bike. Or roller blade. Or ski. Whatever, just get out of the bubble and be part of nature. Or go nowhere, if you prefer.
9. Volunteer. At a church, a shelter, a school. Whatever you are comfortable with. Great opportunities to meet and network with people of all kinds.
10. Sing, whistle or otherwise make music in public. You may get strange stares, but it makes people happy to see other people happy.
11. Share a book. And discuss why you liked it, why you think it is important or entertaining and why the person you share it with should read it. We almost all did this in grade school and shouldn't stop now.
12. Pay someone's bill for lunch or dinner. Or pay for the next person's coffee in line at Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts. A simple nice thing to help people see other people in a different way.
13. Write a letter. Better yet write a letter to a legislator about something important to you. Not an e-mail. A letter. Even better, call ahead and find out a staffer's name so you can send the letter to them along with a note asking them to be sure the legislator sees it.
14. Write a letter to the editor. (Just don't read the comments back.)
15. Hike, canoe, ride a bike, ski. Get outdoors. Commune with nature. Better yet, take a child or a friend.
Remember, these are just small things that can cause a great impact if everyone did some of them just some of the time. And if all of us did some of them some of the time, why they might just think it's a movement! (Reminds me of a famous song.) All we need is a little shove at the right place at the right time.
Given that thought, what small thing can we do to advance humanity? What can we do that rejects the stifling forces of our culture and our producing/consuming mania, without necessarily throwing out the baby with the bath water? Rather than being "anti" anything or destructive, I suggest we do things that affirm human connections, because it is through human connections that people learn from each other. So in the spirit of a New Year, a new or second chance, and in furtherance of a paradigm shift in thinking and relations, I offer the following suggestions. (I am sure anyone reading this has more and are welcome to offer them.)
1. Buy nothing for a day. Alright, we all know we probably paid something for the food we ate or the clothes we are wearing or the shelter we are in. But keep your cash, debit and credit cards in your pockets and just go through the day with what you have. Won't hurt you a bit and will help you appreciate what you have. In fact, you might have something to talk about when you...
2. Meet a new person. Go out of your way to say something to the cleaning staff, or the bus driver or whoever. It doesn't have to be someone you see often. Just simply introduce yourself and tell the person that you are following advice to make life more worthwhile and wanted to meet someone new. Worse thing they can do is reject your invitation. Even that is a lesson for both of you.
3. Turn off the TV for a day. Simply do not allow it in your life. I know this has been done for a week or more, that some people don't have cable, etc. Again, this is about little shoves, not changing everything at once.
4. Don't use the internet. Same thing as TV or radio. In fact, many of us get our news on the internet instead of the TV anymore.
5. Do something creative. Anything. Draw. Write. Sing. Dance. Paint.
6. Share photographs. These can be any photographs. With your kids, your parents, your friends or even complete strangers. Photographs have such powerful images and can stay with people long after they have given away or lost the picture.
7. Intentionally use the stairs. Exercise and no waste of energy. Double winner.
8. Do not drive anywhere. In fact, do not use a car or other form of fossil fuel burning transportation at all. Walk or ride a bike. Or roller blade. Or ski. Whatever, just get out of the bubble and be part of nature. Or go nowhere, if you prefer.
9. Volunteer. At a church, a shelter, a school. Whatever you are comfortable with. Great opportunities to meet and network with people of all kinds.
10. Sing, whistle or otherwise make music in public. You may get strange stares, but it makes people happy to see other people happy.
11. Share a book. And discuss why you liked it, why you think it is important or entertaining and why the person you share it with should read it. We almost all did this in grade school and shouldn't stop now.
12. Pay someone's bill for lunch or dinner. Or pay for the next person's coffee in line at Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts. A simple nice thing to help people see other people in a different way.
13. Write a letter. Better yet write a letter to a legislator about something important to you. Not an e-mail. A letter. Even better, call ahead and find out a staffer's name so you can send the letter to them along with a note asking them to be sure the legislator sees it.
14. Write a letter to the editor. (Just don't read the comments back.)
15. Hike, canoe, ride a bike, ski. Get outdoors. Commune with nature. Better yet, take a child or a friend.
Remember, these are just small things that can cause a great impact if everyone did some of them just some of the time. And if all of us did some of them some of the time, why they might just think it's a movement! (Reminds me of a famous song.) All we need is a little shove at the right place at the right time.
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