Please Pay Attention!
Heather Pecore
Issue date: 5/4/09 Section: Expressions
I was at Wal-Mart the other day, buying a Twilight t-shirt for my best friend, when I heard something that made me stop and really think. It was surprising because I haven't been known to do my best thinking at Wal-Mart, (the constantly empty wallet and random items strewn across my room can attest to that) but it does prove that wherever you go your life can be changed forever.
After standing in line for a minute at the check-out counter and skimming through summaries of The Young and the Restless episodes I had missed, I reached my turn to pay. The cashier glanced at me and asked if I had found the sauce I went back for. Slightly confused, I informed her that she must have me mixed up with someone else. She stopped and looked at me closely with her dark eyes, then laughed. "People say we look alike," she said. "Well, it goes both ways. White people all look alike too. I think we just don't pay enough attention."
There you have it, plain and simple. Not the words of an author or a politician or a professor, but from someone who has a good understanding of the world nonetheless. We need to pay attention. We need to notice things, and in noticing them, begin to care about them. This is how the world will become a better place.
If we paid attention, we would notice differences, and embrace them, not fear them. We would become aware of the underlying similarities of human nature that reside beneath the beautiful differences that make our world interesting. History has torn us apart, but the present is an uphill climb to a future of unity which waits in joyful anticipation at the top of the mountain. And you know what they say - the view is always better from the top.
If we paid attention, we would realize that even though someone may worship another god, or multiple gods, or no god at all, the principles by which we live our lives are the same; to love one another, love yourself, and treat all those you meet with compassion and respect.
We would learn the devastating stories of other countries and be grateful for what we have. We would even be compelled to help; for no human can look carefully at the tragedies of others and not feel his or her heart break at the sight of such pain. Action would be the only available response.
After standing in line for a minute at the check-out counter and skimming through summaries of The Young and the Restless episodes I had missed, I reached my turn to pay. The cashier glanced at me and asked if I had found the sauce I went back for. Slightly confused, I informed her that she must have me mixed up with someone else. She stopped and looked at me closely with her dark eyes, then laughed. "People say we look alike," she said. "Well, it goes both ways. White people all look alike too. I think we just don't pay enough attention."
There you have it, plain and simple. Not the words of an author or a politician or a professor, but from someone who has a good understanding of the world nonetheless. We need to pay attention. We need to notice things, and in noticing them, begin to care about them. This is how the world will become a better place.
If we paid attention, we would notice differences, and embrace them, not fear them. We would become aware of the underlying similarities of human nature that reside beneath the beautiful differences that make our world interesting. History has torn us apart, but the present is an uphill climb to a future of unity which waits in joyful anticipation at the top of the mountain. And you know what they say - the view is always better from the top.
If we paid attention, we would realize that even though someone may worship another god, or multiple gods, or no god at all, the principles by which we live our lives are the same; to love one another, love yourself, and treat all those you meet with compassion and respect.
We would learn the devastating stories of other countries and be grateful for what we have. We would even be compelled to help; for no human can look carefully at the tragedies of others and not feel his or her heart break at the sight of such pain. Action would be the only available response.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
mail order brides
posted 3/26/10 @ 7:10 AM CST
This is a fantastic article! But, either I?m blind, or you son?t seem to have much information
Post a Comment