Michael Jackson, although rarely, for once said it best. Actually, he sang it best. Of one of his top hits, Man in the Mirror, the song lyrics states, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways and no message could have been any clearer, if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make the change.” As this song is still played on the radio, it relates well with the times of today.

With all that is going on in the world- I really don’t have to name a problem because there are plenty to choose from- everyone is blaming someone else. Select groups of people are blaming others of different colors. Brutality of police is on a never before seen rise. The presidential election is coming up in November as different groups are choosing sides. There is so much going on.

So if the problem isn’t someone else, what is it?

The problem is respect. Yes, the all-famous Aretha Franklin made that action famous in her song R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

The problem is respect of others, respect for authority and respect for ourselves. It’s so much easier to blame the other person then look in the mirror and see if we are the problem or at least part of it. As I recently watched the news as a man claimed that all lives matter, in which they do, the news reporter who had the power to calm a situation instead chose to question the man asking why he chose to speak such a controversial statement.

All lives do matter, not just a certain race or people of a particular career, but the news reporter chose to critique this man instead of looking at what his words and actions would do first.

As well, John Mayer sings a song that states he’s waiting for the world to change. Well, I’m waiting too. I’m waiting for something to happen.

In the meantime though, we have the power to be the change. We have the power to respect others and start looking at ourselves in the mirror and make the change.

Small changes snowball into bigger effects. By choosing to think more positively, your whole mindset shifts towards looking at every situation differently. By choosing to be kind to the person who always smirks at you for some unknown reason, eventually might soften the heart of the individual. While looking at our so-called enemies, no matter whose side they are on, we should choose to look at ourselves in the mirror before critiquing someone else which could make the bigger impact.

So what do Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and John Mayer all have in common? They had change on their minds. Jackson wanted to start with the man in the mirror. Franklin wanted to see the change of attitude in her man, while Mayer saw problems in the world.

The combination of these songs might not initially collaborate, but they sure speak a true message…

To see the change in the world, we have to start respecting others by looking the mirror and making a change to ourselves before we start trying to change someone else.