Today as I walk down my path I feel the all too familiar
anger and frustration building. This happens sometimes, it almost seems like a
cycle. As I feel the emotions build I break into a sprint hoping it will help
to relieve some of the stress these emotions are causing. I always to try to
figure out the cause of my feelings, especially when I find my mind in this
dark place, so as I jog along I think. My mind is racing faster than I am and I
come up with several possibilities.
I
increase my speed as if I can run away from my problems, or perhaps speed up my
thought process with my physical speed. I come to a sudden stop gasping for
breath, I hunch over and hold my knees feeling a bit light headed. I wish I
just didn’t care, that would make life so much easier. ..
I have
had this thought before and I have in the past realized that some people would
say I care too much, try to help too much, to make a difference. It’s not
something I can change though, and even if I could I doubt I would. It is one
of the things I love about myself and part of what I believe makes me a good
person.
It hits
me like a boulder all of a sudden. The cause of my turmoil is not only that I
care so much, it’s that so many people today don’t care. They don’t care about
the effect their words or actions have on others, on the planet or even their
own future. There are of course many different strains of don’tgiveashititis.
Some people do care about themselves but not for others or the world at large
and some are the opposite, devoting their entire life to the betterment of
others and the world and the expense of their own future and well being. The
difference at least in these two extremes is that the latter of the two is not
blind. They can see that what they do has an effect on others and therefore
they devote themselves to making the world a better place. To me this seems the
least offensive and even somewhat noble.
To me
don’tgiveashititis is the biggest problem in our modern society, the strains
that occur with blindness being the worst. People no longer think about the
cause and effect of their actions they seek only pleasure and immediate
gratification at that. They don’t care if they are going to cause stress,
misery or leave an inhospitable planet to others.
The
scary part about this realization is that you see it everywhere you go. From
CEO’s, to politicians (assuming there is a difference between those two), to
the angry lady at the pharmacy spitting venomous anger everywhere she goes.
Most people will encounter many of the infected as they travel their path. The
blind ones will be stumbling and pumping into things not even realizing they
are on a path. Those of you who are
caring people may often find yourselves trying to help the infected but I must
warn you, the only ones who can find the cure are the infected for it is found
within them.
Image Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Comedy, http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-h/8800-h.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(Dante), http://www.all-art.org/early_renaissance/dante1.html
Caring
and the gift of sight alone make traveling our paths quite difficult at times. The
infected stumbling in and out of our path tempting us to try and help those who
can only help themselves makes it even more difficult. Each of us must make our own decisions just
as we must make and follow our paths alone, just remember there is only so much
you can do for those infected with don’tgiveashititis and because of the nature
of the disease they are likely to bring you stress and heartache. Despite the
sadness it brings knowing they will never see the true beauty and happiness
that can be found on the path sometimes it is best to let them stumble along,
leaving us with nothing to do but hope they will someday look within to find
their cure.
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