Encouragement

I heard someone very dear to me bring up a topic today, which I found to be a profound point. Encouragement. As easy and simple as it sounds, it seems so very difficult to practice. We are, as humans, very selfish. We are born that way for several reasons, some good and some bad. It is your life’s journey to find not only yourself but also your spiritual faith. It is a two part journey. Some find it quicker than others, some fight against it and can take longer, like yours truly. Yes, I am the poster child for procrastination and fear. I allowed it for so long to mold me into who I thought I was. After today, I had an incredible breakthrough which was so heart opening I couldn’t find any ways to deny it or battle it, and so I let go. I hit a level of peace and serenity very rare and one I have never experienced until today. My reason for it is rather simple. I have let go…let go of all my stress and problems and handed it over so that my yoke may be equally pulled.

That was my reasoning and experience. It all came from the basic conversation of good works and encouragement. The most simple concept there is and yet so very difficult to practice. I completely understand why. It is very difficult to extend an encouraging word or gesture to someone else when we as individuals feel discouraging and hopeless in our own lives. How does one smile and tell another life will be ok when they have doubts the size of mountains in their own garden? It is not easy and I do understand it. What I did realize today is that it certainly can be very easy to do and more than not be a healing and encouraging process for self.

I am and have been guilty of the opposite. I am so busy encouraging other people that when I do, I forget me. So, I walk away having gotten nothing out of it but a tiny bit of joy that I made someone else’s day. While that is not a bad thing in and of itself, it should be encouragement and good deeds for the benefit of both. It is a healing process within your heart while uplifting another human being. That thought should be enough to propel anyone into doing what is right and good selflessly; unfortunately, because of our selfish nature we do not. If we aren’t “feeling it” we do not want anyone else to either. It isn’t so much that we rejoice in seeing or wanting others to experience what we have, but we cannot bring ourselves to wish well when we do not in our hearts believe it to be true.

I can see and understand both sides, however, still struggle with the concept. Today I did make a small move towards rectification. I took the idea to heart and when I look at it, it truly is not so bad. It can be healing, especially when the end result is a change you have made in someone else’s life, no matter how small or inconsequential you may think it is. My change today happened in church. I was walking away from communion when the lady in front of me struggled on her feet. She was older and disabled most likely medical problems in her legs. I was amazed at the heart this woman had. She got up without her cane, waited in line, took communion and walked away. The last few feet of her journey seemed the hardest for her. Her legs were giving out and she struggled to balance on the pews. I walked faster to catch up and gave her an arm to her seat. All I got was a thank you and a smile. I didn’t need much more. That was enough to rock me to my core.

Encouraging family members, friends, and even strangers should be as easy a task as that. As cliché as it may sound, a smile and kind word go a long way. It is very true. I have been recently keeping an open mind and heart to others and I realize that my problems are so very miniscule in the grand scheme of life. I have close friends, food on the table and a paycheck. Most do not even have one of those. So I am not as bad as most, especially in these times. I should and do count my blessings every day. Coming to a reality with that fact, it isn’t so hard to at least smile at someone, say something nice or at the very least pat them on the back.

It’s funny how we as humans can train an animal with positive reinforcement and yet we can’t bring ourselves to do the same with our own species. I don’t know if I want to cry or laugh at the idiocy of that theory. It is sad how we can find kindness and love for the animal population and yet we can’t show the same for fellow man. Where exactly did we get derailed on this basic concept of be kind to your fellow man? Why is it so important that we push, shove, and kick people not only when they are down but for the simple concept of trying to get further up the ladder?

I never realized how cold we are at times. It is not always something we do consciously. Although we cannot control a basic human lash out, even when we realize what we have done, we do nothing about it; nothing to better ourselves and least of all an apology to anyone we may have hurt. I never realized until today how difficult being kind and encouraging actually is in today’s day and age. I feel sorry for us as a race. I think the world would and can be so much better if everyone stopped to think and paused for a self awareness check. While I don’t think myself or anyone other person is enough to change the world, I’m happy making a difference in at least one person’s life.