Sharing is Caring
I've learned just how important family is to me this year. The value has always played in the background of my mind, but I've recently become very conscious of the role that it plays in my life. As I prepared for Thanksgiving last week, I became anxious - thinking I would struggle to stay engaged due to the constant stimulation of being around so many people (those who use alone time to recharge will understand where I’m coming from). To my surprise, I welcomed and embraced as many interactions as I could with my loved ones. I found myself considering ways that I will be more present in the next year. I also noticed ways in which I've shown up for my family in this year that have made an impact and nurtured my relationships. To add a cherry on top, I had a few friends reach out and express gratitude for being in relationship with me. This year, Thanksgiving showed me just how much I have to be grateful for - so much so, that I feel like I need to find a new way to express this gratitude.
The end of the year tends to be an emotional time for everyone, for various reasons. People may be dealing with loss, grief, regret, loneliness or other difficult emotions. With that being said, I've realized a new responsibility. Each and every one of us has a story, a past and our own set of emotions. We carry these things, in different capacities, unbeknownst to the people we walk this earth with. Some of us choose to talk through our ailments with those we trust, while others decide to keep their experience to themselves. Either way, as human beings, we deserve kindness. We all deserve to experience positive energy from time to time. What better way to contribute to a better quality of life for us all than to challenge ourselves (myself included) to offer that positive energy as consistently and genuinely as we can?
With the end of one year, the start of another, and a birthday coming up all within the next couple of months I’m focused on the intentions I have about the life I want to create for myself. Not only am I considering what I want materially - I'm seriously considering who I want to be while on the journey. I personally see the need for more kindness between women and other women, black women and black men, young adults and elders, and the list continues. I understand that I may not create the biggest wave on my own, but I do know that impacting my community directly makes a difference - even if only to one person. Noticing someone walking past and acknowledging them with a hello, offering someone a smile and/or extending a compliment are all small acts that can create a ripple effect of positive energy within your community.
It seems that as the years go by and technology advances, we as humans forget the value of the human experience itself. We grow further and further away from the simplicity of gathering together, loving one another and interacting regularly. We seem to be finding more companionship from our phones than we do from each other. So, I'm challenging myself (and you) to try a little harder to improve someone else's quality of life, as if they were your family. At the end of the day, we all want to feel surrounded by the joy, love and laughter that the holiday season brings. However, we seem to forget that it begins with us.
My hope is that you were able to spend quality time with your loved ones. My challenge is for you (and I) to spread the holiday cheer to strangers on the street all year long. Let's make it our responsibility to bring the human race just a little closer with a wave, a smile and a hello.
