Character, Love, and Compassion

The funny thing about people is,….That nobody (It would seem) could care less….about anything passed the end of their nose…We go through life, day by day, with blinders on…..We as humans are social beings…..Why is it that when we are looking right at somebody struggling….that we don’t reach out to them?…..Why do we CHOOSE to be so competitive, that we can’t help making ourselves feel like winners because we are in a better situation than someone else?….Is that really a social being? Have we as people become so callus, so numb to the worth of others that we have lost all compassion for our brethren?….. I am no preacher….I’m not even a religious person…..But, What happened to the golden rule?…..You Know ….Do unto others as you would have others to unto you…..simple as it sounds, simply states if You see someone struggling…..You reach out to them…..in return ….when someone sees you struggling ….they would reach out to you.

Is it really that easy of a trade off?…..You maybe saying to yourself “oh sure, if I help others, there isn’t going to be anybody to return the favor”……I say …How do you know if you never try it?….What if nobody ever reaches out to you …..I say, so what if they don’t…..Is that really the only reason you reached out to someone suffering in one way or another?…….The feeling like somebody now owes you? Can’t it be enough that when we look in the mirror that evening while brushing our teeth, that you can look yourself in the eye and say to yourself “ I did the right thing today and I didn’t have too”…..shouldn’t that be enough?

I’m Not saying That we have to save somebody’s life, or put ourselves in danger, I’m just saying, “ Why can’t we show a little compassion for others…..Why can’t we show a little bit of unconditional love for others……We don’t have to know them……we don’t even have to know their name….sometimes all it takes is a spoken acknowledgement of somebody’s existence…..something as little as a smile……just show somebody that you CARE…..its easy…..most of the time costs you absolutely nothing, but a moment of your time….although sometimes a little help with a little money could be appropriate….or maybe a way to earn a little money for themselves…..sometimes a gesture like shaking hands or a hug can do wonders for a person who is having a hard time….gentle sensible words of encouragement are amazing ways to reach out to someone…….lets think higher of our relatives ….In Indian culture we are all related….lets treat each other like we are…….What goes around comes around…..including good gestures of paying it forward, or reaching out to others…..

Something I’ve learned as a Truck Driver Instructor, is that people (students) learn far more when you are genuine, and care if they succeed……when they feel like someone is on their side and cares about them and not just a means to a paycheck, they are far more likely to be receptive to instruction…….Nobody has the right to crush someone’s dreams, hopes or ambitions…..as an instructor, my job is to train, motivate, advise….Help people learn how to drive a semi……..When we have a person that can’t seem to grasp the concept of backing ….it’s my job to change the words or the thought until it clicks and the person understands…..if a person doesn’t understand, they haven’t been taught….they have been told….big difference…….The same goes with reaching out to folks in life’s struggles …..If all your doing is making yourself feel superior by giving someone a moment of your time, or sharing half your sandwich, just keep it…..probably doesn’t taste good anyway…..but if you have it in you just to reach out to someone just because it’s the right thing to do….find away where it is not demeaning ….one time when I was getting on an interstate on ramp…..there was a homeless person holding a sign…..It said “ Homeless Veteran need help”…….I gave him the sandwich and chips and soda I had just bought for myself…..I didn’t make a big production out of it…..Don’t have to keep score…..just handed it to him and went on……as I drove off I heard him say “god bless you”……I said right back ‘’ And You too”…..

You maybe wondering what’s up with ol’ Smoke? What brought all this on….well I will be perfectly honest with you….I recently, While at work….I happened to be in close enough proximity to hear a couple other instructors talking…..They were talking about a couple of our students that had been in the class a little longer than most…..but not as long as some…….They had already gave up and wrote those students off and were trying to figure out how to get rid of them……I was mortified…..one of these instructors trained me, when I came through school some 8 years ago…….I couldn’t believe my ears…..My thoughts went back to when I was a student……I wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination,….and I was just like the students we have now……barely able to afford the gas to get to school…..much less, could I afford to even bring a lunch from home…….so at lunch time I would go to my car, away from all the rest and just relax……I didn’t tell anyone my situation…..my family and I lived in an old trailer house with holes in the floor….the only reason we didn’t fall through was because the carpet …….we couldn’t afford to heat or cool the whole house so we blocked off everything except one room….and barely could heat or cool that…….but with my instructors encouragement and helping me, I earned my CDL and started driving the semi’s with the big boys…..now I was hearing one of the same instructors sound like it wasn’t worth his time to do the same for these students……I have confronted him with my concerns…..and I think he has come off his high horse, at least for now….Time will tell.

How do you feel about my ranting …..Does any of this make sense to anybody but me?….Am I the only one who feels these peoples pain?…..I’m not asking for a crusade….. just a little personal compassion, some unconditional love……just show a little character by being a caring person….and the world will get better one nice gesture at a time…..Please leave your comments below…..I would love to hear your ideas to make this world a better place …….peace out baby!…..Smokey


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