Slightly Sarcastic

Safe In Your Own Little World

Posted on25 Sep 2009

When you experience death you look around you and wonder how is it possible for the world to continue – how can people go to work, laugh, play when your whole world has stopped? You feel enlightened, in touch with the pain that must be felt by so many. But over time the pain lessens and you once again become oblivious to the pain and suffering around you. When you laughed at the woman wearing an ugly scarf, was she dying from cancer? When you got irritated with the lady in front of you at the grocery store had her husband just died? The lady with foodstamps you gave a dirty look to, did her house just burn down? Where does compassion and understanding go during day to day life. Do we get so caught up in our own lives we forget to look around and see what is going on in others lives. When the pain fades and you start to feel safe don’t forget to see what is going on right in front of you.

Today, I got my kids to school a few minutes early. I was waiting out in the hall for my daughters teacher. After a few minutes she came in the school, walking so slowly, dragging – I looked at her and said “you look so tired”. She looks at me and says “I am tired, I usually don’t get home around 10:00.” I asked her if you she was working another job, just chit-chat. Then she told me, “It’s a long story, my husband passed away last February and last January my house burned down.” Her husband was 46 and died of a heart attack while he was asleep. She has 3 kids – 17, 11, and 4. Her house is being fixed from the fire so she’s living an hour away with her parents until it’s finished. She said teaching the Pre-k kids was the easiest part of her day. Can you imagine what this woman is going through, the pain and mental anguish? Of course she looks tired. I should have asked her if she was ok, instead of telling her she looks tired – I should have paid more attention. From now on I will try to be nicer, more patient, more understanding – I never know what someone is going through at that moment.

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http://inconsequentiallogic.blogspot.com Roschelle

This post reminds me of something my grandmother told me years ago…”Be nice to everyone you meet because you never know what they’re going through”.

We get so apathetic because of the ridiculous things we see on a daily basis. Death is all around us…in the news, on your favorite movie…We grow desensitized to it. But no matter there’s always something that snaps us back to reality and makes us realize we are human and no different or better than anyone else. What can happen to them can happen to us.
http://www.seniorminds.info Nostradamas

It is amazing how we live in our own little world. I think as you said we see it on TV and other news so much we kind of take things for granted.We live the it can’t happen to me way of thinking.It is amazing how we can see there is something wrong with someone but don’t know what. I think if we did most of us would be more compassionate.
I feel we should live in this world by my golden rule(I know I stole it) Do unto others as you would have them do to you. And smile and listen.
Have a nice weekend.
http://drfaustrollwritesthewrongs.com Doctor Faustroll

Hmmm. So people die? Stupidly? For no purpose? And others carry on?

I’m surprised at that. I was at Jonestown, and everybody there was just joining in and everything was going fine until they cut off the Koolaid. I still never got paid for the catering.

Waco was better.
http://www.chocolatebunnysblog.blogspot.com Bunni

Empathy.
More people need to have it. A lot more.
We get so wrapped up in our own “world” that we forget to look at the “real” world that we’re actually in. We’ve gotten this “if it doesn’t effect me directly, it doesn’t exist” mentality. A bad point of view to have on life, because a person never knows when they’re going to need some of that empathy that’s so hard to find.
http://www.dougsmissoulablog.com Doug

I’ve lost so many relatives and friends during the past year that it just numbs me. We gain strength to face our own mortality as we experience the passing of others. This experience, too, is part of life. I appreciate your postings. Your photo is also quite beautiful and expressive of the blog’s content.
http://www.spicybugz.com Spicybugz

This post really touched me. Made me stop and think, thank you for that.
http://www.stay-at-homemomwhoknew.blogspot.com Grissell

WOW! Thanks for posting this because we forget. We are in a bad mood and sometimes we don’t stop and relax. I always work on trying to treat everyone you meet with kindness regardless because you don’t know what they are going through.
http://www.buckrobin.com Robin

This really hits home! Just a couple of weeks ago I commented to a co-worker about her apparent “bad mood.” She is usually very “up” and cheerful and instead of thinking there might be something bothering her all I could do was question her bad mood. Her daughter had just been diagnosed with cancer.

I agree that we should take more time in considering what’s going on in other people’s lives but we get so wrapped up in our own little worlds. Unfortunately for me, I’m not very good at handling bad news and simply saying “oh, I’m sorry to hear that” just doesn’t seem enough somehow.
http://www.basicallybecky.com Becky

Your post hit home with me…I’m the one who’s life fell apart and I try to walk around with a smile on my face so people don’t think something is wrong…you can read my story at http://www.basicallybecky.com…always be nice, you never know what is happening in someone’s life.
http://www.shoot-me-now.com Katherine

This is an EXCELLENT post. I will never forget the day before my father died. I had two kids at the time, one was 2 months old. He had just gotten out of the hospital with RSV and while he was in there I was in there with him with the stomach flu, throwing up all night at his bedside (while my Dad was dying in a hospital down the street.)

It started to snow and the roads were almost unpassable. I had to get to the hospital to se my dad. Baby in the car, dangerous roads, no food all day. I pulled in to Wendy’s with tears in my eyes, forcing myself to get something. Someone behind me didn’t like the way I pulled up and started to honk and honk and honk. I wanted to get out of the car and scream at him, “Don’t you understand? My dad is DYING! My baby almost died! I have had the stomach flu and now the roads are so dangerous I am risking everything to see my DYING FATHER… WITH my newborn in tow!” But all this person was worried about was how I pulled in to the Wendy’s line.

I never forgot that moment. When I see someone sad, angry or frustrated I try to remember they might be in the middle of something horrible… and I forgive. Your post is so moving… thanks!
http://www.thaigamedownload.com Promote Website

It is amazing how we live in our own little world. I think as you said we see it on TV and other news so much we kind of take things for granted.We live the it can’t happen to me way of thinking.