Putting yourself last...

Today’s news is filled with images of death, violence, and chaos. We are constantly being barraged with depressing news of fatal car accidents, house fires, and natural disasters. With so much of this swimming before our eyes, it’s easy to become numb to it. Enormous numbers of fatalities flashing before our eyes has caused our society to become so desensitized to the pain others are experiencing. We see a sad story in the media and click past it, so we don’t have to empathize. This cycle has translated into our everyday lives. We see someone, in real life, suffering and it makes us uncomfortable. We, as a society, are out of touch with our emotions. No longer do we know how to sympathize with someone who expresses their pain.

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Social media has caused us to become heartless robots.

Consumed by our own lives and our own fabricated worlds on social media, we’d rather deal with people over the internet than in person. Don't let the media desensitize you. We’re so used to seeing tragedy online, that when we’re looking into the eyes of someone whose life is being turned upside by it, we turn our heads. It’s easy to read a sad story and then move on with life. It doesn’t directly affect us. All we have to do to escape it is click away. But the reality of it is that there are people all around us that can’t escape it. They are living those terrible stories that we see flashing across our screens for a second. I do believe that the media can be a positive thing. It provides us with another outlet of information and knowledge. However, let’s be real, how many of us are using the media for learning versus how many of us use it for entertainment? How many of us are being entertained by someone else's misfortune? I’ll leave that right there.

Every single person that you come into contact with in a day has their own battles. No matter how big or how small, everyone has something in their life that they’re struggling with. Don’t be a drain. Don't just go through the motions every day. Don't take more from others than what you are giving. Remember that others are experiencing just as much negativity in life as you are. Do not be another source of it. Be a fountain.

It's wonderful to be able to break the pattern of the monotony on social media. I realize that it is so much easier to just smile and nod and go on with your day. However, you'd be surprised by what can happen when you open up a little and communicate with others. Be a fountain. Ask others how they're doing, and genuinely CARE. Pick a day out of the week and devote it to making others' day a little better. YOUR day will improve as well. Be a fountain. Nothing is more refreshing than a listening ear. One of the most devastating things is talking to someone and then realizing that they aren't listening.

To be a fountain is a wonderful thing. It means contributing to other people's lives to brighten their day. It also means putting yourself last every once in a while. Sparing even just a few minutes out of your day to help someone has a ripple effect. Not only will it make YOU feel like you have a purpose, but it'll inspire others to do the same. This world is filled with too many drains and not enough water. Be a fountain.

"Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water - it will make ripples throughout the entire pond." -Jessy and Bryan Matteo