A Sad Reality.

Today was an interesting day for me. Although it rained for most of the day, I have never felt so bright. It started off pretty normal, going to church, the priests retirement party, and shopping. Nothing so extraordinary, but it was amidst these things that I started to notice other things....

I was shopping in the grocery store going to get some burgers for my friends BBQ party, when I began to think about something my religion teacher said.(she has been the most influential teacher I have ever had and if she reads this she should feel super proud of herself for being exceedingly awesome. :) she was speaking to us on one of the last days of school, about how people today don't communicate like they used to. We have been so distracted by our own lives that we forget sometimes that others have a life too. She was saying to us how in our lives today, people have become so secluded that the only way we ever respond to one anthers presence, (I'm talking about those strangers in the grocery store.) is if we are bumping into each other, or if we are doing something negative.

While I was shopping this little class came into my head, and I decided to look around. What I saw was sort of upsetting. People everywhere were shopping around me, but no one was even paying attention to anyone else, it was all robotic, as if they really didn't want to be there but were there for necessity. People would be staring at someone then as that person they are staring at turns to look at them, they would turn away. or they would avoid aisles with more people in them because they didn't want to have to wait for people to get out of their way because they were busy. It was almost as if everyone had no care for anyone else, it was all about what they needed to do and nothing else. Then I looked back on my own past shopping trips and was really upset with myself. I had been no different.

I myself would be the one avoiding aisles, looking at the ground instead of in eyes, mumbling an excuse me as I quickly walked around someone, and trying to get in and out desperately without being noticed. I was just as bad. So I decided to do something. On my way to the check out line, I decided I was going to smile at as many people as I could and actually start to talk to some of these people. I got into line and was waiting, the cashier said her mandatory soliloquy of "Hello How are you today?" and I responded cheerily back and asked her in turn how she was, she smiled and said it was going great. then when she asked me if I wanted any bags, (which now cost 5 cents per bag! ) I said no, then turned to the random lady behind me and said, "It really isn't worth it!" who just laughed at me and said, "ya, I'll just carry it thanks, "

It was here I realized that there are so many different stories in the world if you think about it. Just look at yourself, how many things have you experienced in your life? How many stories do you have to tell when your with friends? You can spend hours at a time talking to someone about all the random things you have done in the past, and never get tired. Now, think of all the people in the world, so multiply the number of stories you have my 6.5 billion. That is our world.

The moral of my shopping trip today, no matter how many things that are going on in my life right now, I can't complain, because what I think is so difficult and depressing, some people find trivial. There are a lot of people, a lot of stories, never take anyone for granted, you don't know what they can be going through.

Now, I pass this onward to anyone reading, that when you go on your next shopping trip, make someone feel good about themselves, complement them, talk with them, or just even smile at them.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the power to turn a life around." -Leo F. Buscaqlia

Goodnight!