Shibaguyz
Just wanted to interject a thought here… thank goodness for forums such as these where a person can do such things as throw a thought out into the metaverse and have it bounce around for a while…
Earth Hour, Valentines Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, Black History Month, Gay Pride Month, Veterans Day, 4th of July… all of these are about awareness. And, mind you, most of the time they aren’t FOR the folks who already live their lives accordingly with the principles expressed on that day/month. Some aspect of them is for the affirmation and edification of those involved in those movements/communities. But often it is for a reminder to those of us who sometimes forget.
You might tell your partner every day how much they mean to you and show them in every way that they are the most important person in your life. Valentines Day is a time for those who sometimes forget to reflect and maybe express a not-all-that-common sentiment to someone special.
You might be perfectly secure in your ethnic or cultural heritage and community. You might not need a week-long special on NPR, Lifetime or Bravo to remind you of how lucky you are to be an individual with unique qualities. That thought might occur to you every morning and come as a common reflection throughout the day.
You might not need reminding of the people who have come before you who fought for the rights and privileges you enjoy every day because of their sacrifice. You might naturally reflect on these wondrous, historic events daily.
You might recycle, re-use, conserve and preserve every waking moment of your life. You might never turn down your receipt at the coffee shop or at the bank atm to cut down on the use of paper, you might turn off unnecessary heaters and lights. You MIGHT even have changed all of your lights out for energy savers or even LED’s.
YOU might do these things. Thank goodness if you are that complete of a soul. Most of us still struggle to do all of those thing consistently and feel good if we just get part of the puzzle of life together. For those of us poor slobs who haven’t gotten it all quite right yet, I’m thankful for reminders like Earth Day, Earth Hour, Valentines Day, etc…
That’s one side of the coin. Little events like those are good reminders and educational opportunities for folks who either don’t have the whole picture completed yet or who just want to learn more and gather more information for how to do it all better.
The flip side is this: there are those out there who already “get it” or have that piece of the puzzle or maybe even just have one particular piece and can share that with someone else who doesn’t have it yet. It seems like those folks might feel some sense of obligation to help out and step to the front to be counted among the ones who can or do or are. Helping raise awareness by the showing of solidarity has crumbled more than a few intellectual, physical and idealistically awry walls.
In addition, it is an incredible fueling for the soul when you see others like yourself who have been through similar circumstances. You can speak as a community when you might otherwise have not met. You can gain strength and maybe even find a renewed sense of hope or vigor to push you through when you just don’t “feel like it.”
Sometimes it is just letting others know you “are present” and you “get it” or “are aware” that is important. Sharing information for educational purposes and for swapping of ideas is a powerful tool of change.
Rather than feeling smug about what I have already accomplished and stating my piousness by boycotting such vulgar public displays, maybe just keeping to myself and not condemning the folks who do participate (for whatever reason they decide to participate) would be more appropriate.
No, public displays of these sorts are not for everyone. Not all people who are “fighting the good fight” or “have raised their awareness” feel comfortable with putting themselves out there. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone is just on a different place in the journey. If you aren’t comfortable with it or if you don’t feel like you need it, then just step back and let those who are comfortable step out. Let those who do need it seek out those who can or want to share.
On whichever side of the coin your life is stamped, I’m sure we can all do with a good look at the flip side and allow those who like/want/need to participate in such events their joy/desire/necessity. Rather than snorting derisively and spouting statements of triviality at the occasions, it might be better to just sit back and let it pass us by. Let those who feed off of these events draw from it what they need.
Maybe someone finds the courage to declare their self worth, maybe another cuts back on their “carbon footprint,” perhaps someone learns a new method of sustainability that they can pass on to one other person later on. There could even be the chance that someone who feels a little lonely suddenly finds themselves in the welcoming arms of a community or that special someone they never knew existed before.
Live and let live may sound cliche but hey… sometimes cliches come from a good initial idea. As long as their fireworks don’t land on my house and burn it down, why should I care if it gives them a boost?