Be Nice Today

Another post from John Galt.  I'd like to thank John for trying to make the world a nicer place.

I’m hopeful for the future of this country.  She has weathered a lot.  When reading the history of this country, it hasn’t always been pretty and at times it has been downright ugly.  A snapshot of today isn’t very pretty either.  We have high crime.  The epidemic of murders in Chicago comes to mind.  This is the type of violence we thought we were above and would only see in news shots from foreign countries where we thought they valued human life less than we do.  We have over 46 million Americans living in poverty and over 31 million children qualify for the school lunch programs.  In this country of the American dream where we grow millionaires on every block (according to our movies), people are hungry and homeless.  In my snapshot of today, I see the threat of unemployment, stores closing, empty restaurants, and in general, little hope for change.  Has it always been this way, or does it seem to be worse now than in the past because technology makes it possible for us to hear about it more?   

On my drive home every day, I see panhandlers on every corner of the intersections.  One in particular has his dog tied on a very short leash to a signpost, all day.  I mention this because the first time I saw them, the dog was just a puppy.  This sight makes me so mad every time I see it.  I don’t know of the situation that put this man on the corner. This puppy’s experience with life is spent tied to a signpost in a busy intersection in the South’s scalding heat of summer and the damp drizzle of winter.  Is this the world we have created for all of God’s creatures?  Please don’t assume that I put an animal before people; I only use this as an example of where we are as a society today.  No matter how hard you try to look away, turn up the music and pray for the light to change, you can’t avoid the truth and the truth is ugly and tossing a few coins isn’t going to fix it.

What can you do?  First, as an individual, you must want to do something; desire to make a change.  This will require you to admit that there is a problem.  This will be a challenge for many, maybe for all of us.  By our omission, the country has become what it is.  As Thomas Jefferson said, ““All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”  Our country didn’t get into this state of disrepair from any one event and it didn’t happen overnight.  We are where we are as a country because of lot of poor choices, discourteous actions, political posturing, illness, gluttony, greed and sadness.  All of those single events--minor in consequence taken individually, but when taken collectively and then influencing the chain of events that result, create a world often unfit for a puppy tied to a signpost at a busy intersection.

 You’ve probably heard about some of the strategies to make this country better—something we can do as individuals such as paying forward a good deed, do just one nice thing for a stranger, willingly lend a hand, be more courteous than usual, smile and mean it, volunteer—the list of possibilities is endless.  Most of these strategies involve putting another before yourself and maybe pushing you out of your comfort zone.  Easier said than done in this world saturated with technology, over-scheduled and self-centered.  But, don’t wait to be nice.  When you have lunch with someone, put down your phone and have a real conversation with the person with you.  Don’t text while you drive and instead concentrate on driving safely—for your safety and for those around you.  Hold the elevator for the person running across the lobby.  Donate pet supplies to the local shelter.  Make eye contact with someone you pass and smile.  There is plenty of time for regret and all of the “I should have…”  Set an example for others and do the right thing, the kind thing, even if no one is watching.  Do one nice thing today.  Maybe tomorrow you will do two.