I brace for impact. Today it’s going to be a rough one. My Golden Retriever puppy, Rupert, comes bounding down the stairs and through the entryway, almost knocking me off my feet. Grabbing his leash, I think about how much I don’t want to take him for a walk. Then, I think about how much he needs this walk, to release pent-up energy and to get outside of the house he’s cooped up in all day. Putting Rupert’s needs before me, I sigh as he almost yanks his leash out of my hand; it’s going to be a long 20 minutes. In today’s world, people only think about themselves, and only care about others if it’ll help them gain something. The thought and lifestyle of ‘me’ courses throughout every man’s head during the day.
Sitting in my class waiting for it to start one day, I heard, “Did you hear about what Kim Kardashian wore to the Emmy’s the other night? And her hair? Amazing!” These people didn’t care about the people getting murdered every day, or the kids starving in poverty; they just wanted to gush over the latest stupid thing their favorite celebrity did. When people give acts of kindness, most only do it to help their reputation or make them look like somebody they’re not. Henry David Thoreau said, “When the majority shall at length vote for the abolition of slavery, it will be because they are indifferent to slavery, or because there is little slavery left to be abolished by their vote” (Thoreau). This is because people relied on slavery for their business or goods, and if slavery was abolished, they felt a lot of things would change, because farms would make less, and prices would go up, so it would be harder for people to get by. A lot of the kids in my school don’t give out good deeds just to be nice; they have a hidden motive. Behind their smiling face lurks a lust for popularity and friendship. Being nice and giving just gives their reputation a boost and allows them bragging rights. But this shouldn’t be any surprise to us. After all, our generation has been named ‘Generation Like’. We range all the way from children with smartphones, “to the average teen who’s fretting about the number of likes his Facebook profile picture might be receiving” (Novak). People base their self-worth and value of life on the amount of ‘friends’ they have on Facebook, or how many people follow them on Instagram. Instead of gossiping about celebrities, the next time I have a free moment, I’m going to make sure I talk about something more important.
Down in Florida, Scuba Diving with my Boy Scout troop taught me to always go with the current, to avoid getting tired too quickly. When you swim against the current, it puts more stress on you, and you’ll get tired quicker. People go with the flow just so they don’t have to work harder or stand out. Putting on my mask and snorkel, and stepping into my flippers, I take a giant step off the boat – and into the water. Hajo [Hi-oh], our boat captain, throws me my BCD and tank. Strapping it on and finding my buddy, we get ready to go down. Once under the water, we turn in a random direction and head out. I notice I’m swimming against the current. It’s a little harder to keep going, and I get tired far sooner than I usually do. When people try to go against the status quo of life, it’s usually harder. They have to deal with people who don’t want anybody to be different, and may get in trouble with superiors – whether it be a teacher or boss. Soon enough, I find a little coral reef. The tiring swim was worth it. Going against the world may be hard, but usually it’s worth it. You may find something that you’d never find, or get a gift that will give you great memories to look back on. But you can’t force yourself to do anything. You can’t go with the status quo to make life easier. Franklin Greenburg said, “Each of us may have to come to terms with the other selves we adopt in our different roles. Which is our ‘real’ self – the one we fashion when talking to our children, to our spouses, to friends, to ourselves? We change roles, we change selves” (Greenburg). We must be true to ourselves, and stand out in the world if we must.
I take a step, careful not to slip off the rock and into the rapids. It’s been a long trek up here, and I don’t want to ruin it by falling into the stream. Breathing in the cool mountain air, I look back, and see my Dad helping my Mom across. I feel at peace. We go through life too fast, only thinking about what we ‘need’ for ourselves: the newest television, the top of its class laptop, or the sparkling smartphone. Everybody needs to take a step back every once in a while, and just notice how insignificant they are in the amazing enormity of the universe. We’re all part of some great system, just like how the forest ecosystem works together to stay alive. When Henry David Thoreau was living in the woods, he talked about why he did it when he said, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Thoreau). He knew that to be closer with nature, and one’s inner self, you need to step back and look at your life in a setting that allows you to be free of outside influences. The 4 mile hike had helped show me how insignificant I am in all of God’s glorious and beautiful creation. It really makes me feel humble and thankful for all the blessings I’ve been given, considering how puny and insignificant I am in the big scheme of things.
Taking in a breath of the crisp autumn air, a bit chilly on the account of forgetting my gloves, with my puppy, Rupert, right beside me, I ponder. I think about how peaceful it is, and how I wish my whole life could be as peaceful and sweet as my evening walks, seeing the individual beauty all around me anywhere I go. But obviously, that’s not possible. In today’s world, people only think about themselves, and only care about others if it’ll help them gain something. The thoughts and lifestyle of ‘me’ courses throughout every man’s head each day. Today, I’m more confident in what I can do to help others and be kind, and opinions of me aren’t as important as they used to be. I have faith that someday we will be pulled out of the ‘me’ ideal, and will genuinely care about other people.