Many people have looked at me with a rather odd expression when I explain my reason for creating the See The Good website. They are perplexed that people need to be reminded of the good in the world and in their own life. And at that point, I return the perplexed look. I am wondering if people have forgotten what life used to be like or how people used to treat each other. And before I get too many eye rolls, I am in my 50s, not 80s or 90s and I’m not referring to the 1950s and a Mayberryesque existence. I am talking about in my lifetime, the changes in what is acceptable behavior towards others and towards others property.
As a child, I was taught that if something didn’t belong to me that I must ask to touch it. If there was no one present to ask then I could look at it, but for no reason was I permitted to touch it. I would never throw eggs at someone’s home, break windows in a building that look abandon or destroy anything on someone else’s property. Even if I didn’t know who owned the property or the item, I knew that I didn’t own it, and that was all that mattered. But today, anything within reach seemed to be considered fair game for the free for all of bad behavior that is now accepted by so many people.
Not only does this behavior tell me that people are not being instilled with any respect for others property and the work it took them to create the item or earn the money to purchase it, but it tells me that they have no respect for themselves and how others perceive their actions. As an example, an artist spent about 13 hours on a beach working to create a custom commissioned sand castle for a client on a resorts portion of a public beach. Thousands of people stopped to watch him work and to ask him questions. Some were respectful of the signs to please not touch while others tried to sneak a touch or failed to stop their children from touching or kicking sand on the project. But once completed, the castle stood about 5 feet tall and over 6 feet long. It was amazing with multiple turrets with flags, detailed inset windows and even a wood grained sand door. It really was a work of art, and I say “was” because the first night after the build, someone completely destroyed this man’s entire day of work.
They did not commission the piece, nor did they know the people that the castle was built for or the reason that it was built. But it was there and they had the opportunity, so they destroyed it with no questions asked. I feel bad for the man who toiled all day to create a work of art for others to enjoy, only to see it ruined in minutes, I’m guessing. And I feel sad for the people who only got to see their castle stand for a single day, but mostly I feel sad for society as a whole.
We have become so much less than we once were. Gone are thoughts, consideration or concern for others, as we motor through life in our tiny orb that extends only as far as our arms can reach. And I realize that this is not the case for all of society. There are still amazingly caring good people out there, but their numbers are dwindling. It is time for the Good to take back the majority before it is too far outnumbered. And the only way to accomplish this task is to begin spreading smiles, neighborly assistance, teaching our children that we will only allow good behavior, and kindness, even to total strangers. Saying please and thank you and holding a door for someone are tiny acts, but ones that carry great importance throughout our world. It is the beginning of the return to a kind and caring world, and one that we would all benefit from.
I joined “See the Good” primarily to visit with others who are like minded in fazing out the bad stuff and focusing on the GOOD things that surround them. There have been and will be those who want to tear down the legacies we’ve built because they feel it’s their right to be that way. I saw a painting the other day. It was two simple people standing apparently talking. They were in focus, but everything around them was severely out of focus and fuzzy. Life can get that way with so much going on around us–life becomes a blur! As I read several times on this blog, we need to slow down and smell the coffee and See the Good that’s around us. it’s right there in front of us. We only need to open our eyes…
Amen, amen and amen, Kathy!!!! You speak for so many, including me. You have expressed the concern so well that many of us have and what we can all do about turning things around, one day, one interaction at a time. This is so timely, with all the sad and cruel things going on, that we all need to know we can help turn things around by noticing The Good and sharing it with others. Thank you so much, once again, for all you do to help us all become better citizens of Mother Earth. Yes, we must all open our eyes, our minds and our hearts . . .
I feel the same as you, that “it tells me that they have no respect for themselves”. It seems they never stop to wonder how they would feel should someone do the same to them or something they cherish. They think only in the moment with no thought of consequences either for themselves or for others. It is indeed a sad state of affairs we have come to. So many do not respect human life, so it is understandable that they don’t respect property either. But we can change a tiny sector with our positive actions and attitudes. It may not change the world, but if enough of us think and act this way, it could change quite a bit of it.