Maybe its just me...maybe I am just a little too sensitive, but it seems as though people are becoming colder and colder as the days go by. I am not talking about the kind of cold that makes you shiver, but I am talking about the coldness of heart that I seem to find on the trails these days. Maybe its just symptomatic of these 'perilous times' that Timothy said would be characteristic of the 'last days' before the coming of the Lord, but it seems difficult just to get a 'hello' or a 'good morning' out of people as I pass them on the trails. Its almost like people feel if they say 'good morning', they will lose something of themselves or they will open themselves up to being robbed. Or maybe people are just so content to being in a 'bad' mood, that they don't want anyone to interrupt their view on life. I don't know, but as you can see, it irks me to 'feel' how cold we have become toward one another.
I consider myself a people person. I enjoy being around people and talking with people. I think being 'neighborly' is the least of things that I can be toward my fellow human beings who, if they are like me, have to deal with the myriad of stresses that attack us on daily basis. A smile, a wave, a 'good morning' can go a long way in someone's day. Its a real simple gesture that acknowledges the other human being and reminds them they are not alone. When someone goes out of their way to 'wave' or say 'hello' to me, it makes a statement that transcends it's simplicity.
I don't know if its too much Hollywood, television, radio, news, or what...but has our society become so engulfed in fear or distrust toward one another that we can't even say, 'hello' anymore? We can't even greet one another as we cross paths on the trails? I mean...its not like I am running toward the person with a gun in my hand or a full regalia of SWAT team assault weapons and riot gear. More often than not, as I approach a person on the trails, my 'Good Morning' is greeted with a forward stare of nothing in return. Now, I can understand a woman being a little more fearful on the trails than a man. There must be a certain amount of inner turmoil for a woman if she is running the trails alone and I try to 'disarm' her (or anyone for that matter) by trying to make eye contact. Yet, many times, they just give a cold blank stare ahead without any acknowledgement of any kind.
Have we as a nation become so fearful that we have forgotten how each of us are human beings of similar qualities? I mean, which one of you reading this blog are not full of a myriad of emotions. Full of fears about the economy, and keeping our homes and families safe, and our jobs secure. Though all of us are fragile and many of us are hurting inside, we have seemingly been hoodwinked into believing that any human being outside of our little circle is 'evil' or not to be trusted. Long gone are the days where we could leave our houses unlocked or our windows down in the parking lot while we go into the store. The neighbors are no longer neighborly. We eye one another with distrust, wondering about each others motives and desires. I have neighbors that won't even wave to me. As a matter of fact, I can be standing in my driveway and they won't even lift an eye toward me to acknowledge I am even alive or in their presence. I am saddened even as I write this... we moved into this neighborhood about ten months ago, and NO ONE, not one person has gone out of their way to introduce themselves to me and my family. I have had to go out of my way to greet the neighbors, and I am still sandwiched between two neighbors who don't wave or say 'hello'. Its bad enough that my four year old daughter wondered why one of our next door neighbors can't say hello to us.
Like I said, I don't know if you feel the same coldness beginning to permeate throughout our society, or its just me, but I refuse to be cold. I refuse to let this world stop me from acknowledging my fellow humans on the trail or in the store or on the phone. Believe me, I understand the 'safety' issues and not being so overly friendly and open to be taken advantage of, but at the same time, not everyone is a criminal. It used to be we were looked upon as innocent until proven guilty, but now this principle has been turned upside down and we have been taught to distrust and believe all are guilty first and must prove their innocence later...well...that is if they are ever given a chance to do so. So as for me, don't expect me not to give you a 'good morning' or a wave as I pass by you on the trail. As far as I am concerned, you and I have far more in common than we have differences, and I refuse to let the coldness of the outside world stop the warmth I feel toward my fellow man!
I consider myself a people person. I enjoy being around people and talking with people. I think being 'neighborly' is the least of things that I can be toward my fellow human beings who, if they are like me, have to deal with the myriad of stresses that attack us on daily basis. A smile, a wave, a 'good morning' can go a long way in someone's day. Its a real simple gesture that acknowledges the other human being and reminds them they are not alone. When someone goes out of their way to 'wave' or say 'hello' to me, it makes a statement that transcends it's simplicity.
I don't know if its too much Hollywood, television, radio, news, or what...but has our society become so engulfed in fear or distrust toward one another that we can't even say, 'hello' anymore? We can't even greet one another as we cross paths on the trails? I mean...its not like I am running toward the person with a gun in my hand or a full regalia of SWAT team assault weapons and riot gear. More often than not, as I approach a person on the trails, my 'Good Morning' is greeted with a forward stare of nothing in return. Now, I can understand a woman being a little more fearful on the trails than a man. There must be a certain amount of inner turmoil for a woman if she is running the trails alone and I try to 'disarm' her (or anyone for that matter) by trying to make eye contact. Yet, many times, they just give a cold blank stare ahead without any acknowledgement of any kind.
Have we as a nation become so fearful that we have forgotten how each of us are human beings of similar qualities? I mean, which one of you reading this blog are not full of a myriad of emotions. Full of fears about the economy, and keeping our homes and families safe, and our jobs secure. Though all of us are fragile and many of us are hurting inside, we have seemingly been hoodwinked into believing that any human being outside of our little circle is 'evil' or not to be trusted. Long gone are the days where we could leave our houses unlocked or our windows down in the parking lot while we go into the store. The neighbors are no longer neighborly. We eye one another with distrust, wondering about each others motives and desires. I have neighbors that won't even wave to me. As a matter of fact, I can be standing in my driveway and they won't even lift an eye toward me to acknowledge I am even alive or in their presence. I am saddened even as I write this... we moved into this neighborhood about ten months ago, and NO ONE, not one person has gone out of their way to introduce themselves to me and my family. I have had to go out of my way to greet the neighbors, and I am still sandwiched between two neighbors who don't wave or say 'hello'. Its bad enough that my four year old daughter wondered why one of our next door neighbors can't say hello to us.
Like I said, I don't know if you feel the same coldness beginning to permeate throughout our society, or its just me, but I refuse to be cold. I refuse to let this world stop me from acknowledging my fellow humans on the trail or in the store or on the phone. Believe me, I understand the 'safety' issues and not being so overly friendly and open to be taken advantage of, but at the same time, not everyone is a criminal. It used to be we were looked upon as innocent until proven guilty, but now this principle has been turned upside down and we have been taught to distrust and believe all are guilty first and must prove their innocence later...well...that is if they are ever given a chance to do so. So as for me, don't expect me not to give you a 'good morning' or a wave as I pass by you on the trail. As far as I am concerned, you and I have far more in common than we have differences, and I refuse to let the coldness of the outside world stop the warmth I feel toward my fellow man!
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