Others

It is a big world but we are growing closer in proximity to one another simply because there are more of us. But being closer to one another does not emply 'closeness'. We often live as if 'others' do not exist. We could look at all the national strife - left/right/democrat/republican/independent/rich/poor/racial issues and we could examine all the international crises including terrorism and genocide and scream we lack a sense of 'others'. We share this planet and for some reason we think it is inherently all ours.

 For me it begins micro and then becomes exaggerated on a macro scale. Let me share two occurrences recently that I observed. On my way to a local coffee shop and truck pulled over in front of me just before a traffic light (that could be the occurrence in and of it self - "others' seems to be lost on the highway). At the light the passenger rolled down the window and tossed out the candy wrapper that they had just finished eating. It would have taken less effort to just toss it on the floorboard of the truck. This was much more deliberate - for this person the outside was their unlimited trash bin with disregard to all others who share the same space. We move on to the coffee shop (warning: this is much more unseemly) and I have to visit the 'little boys room' and we know public facilities can present many affronts to all sensibility. Another person was present two dividers down and upon completion of his duties he simply leaves the restroom without a thought of washing his hands. Could he really believe that no one else exists in the world or that no one else frequents the coffee shop? Again, how hard is is to wash your hands? For me it is just one more deliberate act of defiling and denouncing 'others'. When this happens with regularity on a micro level then we should not be shocked when it escalates on a macro level manifesting itself in war, terrorism, or genocide.

It would be less convicting if I did not exhibit a disregard for others at various times. It is very easy to become so self focused that the vision of others becomes degraded. The solution that I fall back on is to acknowledge the Creator. There is no time in a short blog to delve into that - intelligent design/creation verses evolution/or a myriad of other arguments for and against religion or a belief system. For the sake of time - I believe someone or something precedes us all. I also believe that we were uniquely designed for one another. That makes our sin against one another both on a micro and macro scale even more heinous. To begin each day with an overwhelming sense of "Otherness" beyond myself, that precedes myself helps me focus more intently upon living spatially with grace and kindness. Whether you believe we came from dust or primordial soup both signify humble beginnings and we did not will ourselves to be here. Both require a healthy sense of "Otherness" that helps us see 'others' as our fellow companions in the journey of life that has preceded us and will go on beyond us therefore in the present it seems things would go a little smoother if we shared our daily space with humbleness and treat others with the dignity they deserve. After all is that not what all of long for?