We All Matter
For a moment, imagine a world where all men, women and children of all ages, races and religions have the utmost respect for one another. Envision a community where all of humanity has compassion and tolerance for each other. A place where all human beings, animals, plant life, water, as well as the entire planet is recognized as significant.
A world that understands that we are all important, that WE ALL MATTER.
Because we do.
How many times have you heard people say they don’t care? It doesn’t matter because it’s not their child, their job or their home. It doesn't matter because it doesn’t affect them directly.
The world functions through cause and effect. What happens to you can affect your neighbor one way or another, whether it’s a small gesture or words exchanged. No matter what, we are all connected and we are all God’s children.
Imagine you are fighting for a parking space on a busy Saturday at Costco. You were there first, but another person cuts you off and takes your spot. You’re angry and cursing, with no regard for the presence of his younger daughter. He’s livid and in a rage to approach you, leaves his four-year-old alone in traffic, in the midst of harm’s way. The child is in danger all due to a chain of events.
Every action has a reaction. If you hadn’t cursed that person out, would his child be standing in the middle of the road? Your thoughts have greater influence than you could possibly imagine. Some may say, “That’s not my kid, not my problem.” If you took a second to think the situation through, much could be prevented.
We all matter and the way we interact with each other is so significant. Situations can escalate in a few words and exchanges. Sometimes we focus so much on how things affect us that we don’t take the time to consider how someone else may be feeling. You don’t need to be selfless or a martyr, but it doesn’t take much to consider how your peer or fellow man is doing.
Instead of thinking, “What does this mean for me?”, every once in a while ask, “What does this mean for my friends, for my family, for my coworkers?” It shouldn’t be all about you. No man is an island. More is achieved by working together than pitting man against man.
While you might be comfortable, there are people of all ages around the world lacking basic necessities in life like food or water. They’re far removed from you, why do they matter? By sharing the burden we can ease the problem. By opening our eyes to the situation and not turning our backs, we are recognizing our connectedness. You can always make a difference. A simple prayer or thought can spark an action, you are doing something instead of being a bystander.
All children matter and we are all children of God, therefore, WE ALL MATTER.