What if we lived our everyday life as if our future depended upon it, looking for opportunities to share and care for others even when we don’t feel like it?
In my family, we have a saying: “Sharing is caring!”
My youngest daughter taught us that—from a child, she has used this saying when sharing with others, or she would use it to bring correction to her siblings when they were not prepared to share.
These simple words have been spoken in our family for the last 20 years and still remind us to this day of the power of sharing with others, especially when we don’t feel like it.
Because sharing is a choice, not a feeling!
We are living in a time where feelings are encouraged, to the point that our society has been highjacked and governed by this out-of-control roller coaster of emotional highs and lows, railroading all common sense along the way.
Aside from that, people are feeling the pressure of the times as our world changes around us, not knowing what the future looks like and for good reason, so it’s understandable that emotions and feelings are running high.
But what if you and I held the answers to what the future looks like? What if we are the answer?
I was recently waiting in line at the supermarket checkout when the woman at the counter had insufficient funds in her account for the few groceries she was trying to purchase. Her emotions quickly changed from seeming calm to a panic-stricken unease within seconds, not knowing what to do.
Sadly, the youth operating the register didn’t have the patience or sympathy for the woman as she attempted to remove item by item to see if that would make a difference. A quick-thinking man behind her read the situation and, leaning forward with his credit card, asked the check-out operator to process her items using his credit card.
I’m not sure who was more shocked, to be honest—the youth at the checkout or the woman. The atmosphere immediately shifted, and the woman was overwhelmed with emotion and appreciation for the gentleman’s kindness. He responded with a simple smile and reassurance as he told her “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it—it’s only money!”
The Cambridge Dictionary says, “A caring person is kind and gives emotional support to others“.
In that moment, the man provided emotional support to another because of his choice and because he could. He chose not to get annoyed because the woman was holding up the line; he chose to be the difference.
We are the stewards of life and our shared planet—caring for our fellow human beings is a privilege, and we are all invited to partake in it, even when we don’t feel like it.
In a world that appears to be losing its way, changing our attitudes and ways to be more intentional about our choices rather than our feelings could bring an antidote to change the trajectory we are heading towards.
Sharing is caring because kindness will resolve challenges.
Give it a go!
“Helping others is not charity, it’s humanity”. – Curt Landry
Seeds of Hope Community 