Yesterday, August 29th was the birthday of Michael Jackson. He would have been 66 years old if he lived. Many of us love his songs. But on this day and with the state of America and the rest of the world today, I want to highlight the song “Man in the Mirror.” It’s a song dedicated to humanity efforts in the world. Some of the lyrics reads…
“I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If they wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It’s time that I realize
That there are some with no home
Not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they’re not alone?”
Here in the U.S., since the year 2018, we have been more of a house divided than not. Many people have allowed tunnel vision to take over their life with less thought about humanity. This sense of selfishness got worse after the COVID-19 pandemic. In honor of these lyrics and the need to see change for a greater future, I would like to focus on ways we can do so.
- Practice Gratitude and Reflection: We should find the positives in our lives and be appreciative of them. What we can also do is consider that others may not have the same positives going for them.
- Empathy: sympathy is feeling sorrow for someone, but empathy is understanding the feelings of another person. Each of us has a life that can be similar but it’s ultimately different from the next person. The circumstances that happen in one’s life is not always in their control based on their past history.
- Listening: giving an ear to others and their personal stories is how we move forward. Even if you may not agree with what a person has to say, listening and understanding their perspectives is helpful.
- Service: “Do unto others as you want done to yourself.” Treating people with kindness goes a long way. Sometimes a person may need help and if you can be of help, do your best to provide it.
So, as we move forward into the end of this year, big things will happen in this world. Some things we all may not all agree with. But, what we must remember is that humanity shall prevail. I believe we can get back on the right track to making the great change the world has been waiting for.