Reflection

Reflection - my meeting intro speech.

September 11th invokes a lot feelings across the world.  On the 11th anniversary of the tragic events in 2001 much is being considered about the world and where we fit into it.  Some mourn, others rage and more still are confused about what all the fuss is about.  Does that surprise you?

It is in our base nature to believe that everybody else should have the exact same kind of beliefs and value systems as our own.  The social community we grow in teaches us that. To reach the mental state where we are able to just accept everybody else for not only who they are but what they believe in; particularly if they view the world in a completely different way is not only difficult, but often takes a fundamental shift in our own perceptions to achieve.  Where does this shift begin?  The answer is closer than you think.

On our local news station there has been a lot of sensationalism about a local street gang whom I will not name here.  The reason for this is that the press have been giving these street punks exactly what they want - fame and streetcred and I don't want to buy into it.  Sure, they could be busted tomorrow but with the lack of serious criminal sentences any of these creeps could muster they'd serve their short time with respect from their fellow inmates and be right back out to start a ganglife again - the infamy is a drug of choice.  I prefer that the press keep a less excitable tone...don't make their lives like a Hollywood movie or a New York Times Bestseller. 

On my way into my Toastmasters meeting tonight I came across a slightly amusing site.  A young mother was begging her six year old daughter to share her very delicious and highly anticipated Special K granola bar with her younger brother.  The look on the little girls face was akin to having been asked to shoot her brand new puppy. 

How do we expect gangland creeps to have a better understanding and compassion for others in society if we can't even get a young child to share a simple snack?  Hence, how do we expect different cultures in the world to get along better if we can't even even get those in our communities to get along?  Each level is a reflection of the other.  One that we need to work on slowly, methodically and together.

Tim