How to Change the World

Let's face it, the world's a hot mess these days.  Bombings and killing's in France, Turkey, Belgium and Iraq.  Unarmed citizens being shot by the police and even the police are under fire in Dallas.  Add on the fact that the country gets to choose from two of the most unpopular Presidential candidates in history, and life's looking pretty bleak.


My Facebook feed is abuzz this morning with Monday morning quarterback's on how to change the world.  I've seen suggestions that range from the rational to the insane and everything in between.  Maybe they're right, maybe they're not.  I don't think I'm qualified to solve the world's problems as I am pretty sure the general Facebook user is not.  Oh, and one other thing to my Facebook philosophers:  If you can't take the time to spell out an entire word (ppl), are afraid people are loosing (yea that was intentional on my part) there (also intentional) minds or just simply cannot spell on a fourth grade level, I find it hard to take your advice seriously.


That's not my point here though.  Throughout all these Monday morning quarterback's there is one in common.  While everyone seems to have a solution, nobody can tell you what the root cause of the problem is.  The problem is we're filled with too much negativity and hate and we're always looking to blame others for what's going on.  Want to change the world?  Try changing your own first.


I ride my bike a lot these days.  Sometimes this takes me onto my local bike path.  The same bike path I used to run, when I was really a runner.  When I did run the bike path, I remember cyclists passing me without even an acknowledgement of my presence.  I always wondered if they truly were that miserable, in a pissy mood, or just rude.  I don't have an answer for that, but maybe they were just in the zone or worried about their own ride.  So when I realized my running days were behind me, I took to cycling.  So when I'm that cyclist now, even if I'm in that zone, even if I'm wrapped up in how my ride is progressing, I try to say "Good morning" or "Hi" to everyone I pass.  It's not hard, a quick smile and a hello.  Maybe that brightens that walker or runner's day. Maybe that's just enough of a lift to give them


To me, that's the easiest way to be positive and that's what it's all about.  If I try to stay positive in my life, and you try to stay positive in yours and that inspires someone else to stay positive in theirs, then eventually won't everyone be positive?  If you're saying "You're nuts, that's impossible", guess what?  You're not being positive!


A friend of mine, and a fellow Eagle posted about being positive this morning because everything that was going on had her down.  Team RWB is all about positivity and I have to admit, some of the most positive people I have ever knows are my fellow Eagles.  It's refreshing to be surrounded by those kinds of people.


What happened the last couple days, in Louisiana, Minnesota, and in Dallas are tragic.  Who cares if it's a black life or a blue life or a violet life?  It's a life and it was taken too early. We worry too much about White, Black, Asian, Native American, straight, gay, or transgender.  We forget the one "label" we all have:  human.  So, if you're trying to prove that someone was a criminal or a racist or whatever, you're as much of the problem as anyone else. 


I'm not a religious person, but I do believe in treating others as you would like to be treated.  Guess what folks?  That's a positive thing to do!  Start with your world.  Treat others with respect and dignity.  If someone is different from you, that shouldn't make you want to withdrawal from them.  It should make you want to engage them and find out more about them.  That might start with a "Good morning" or a "Hi".