Imagine if we all just went on with our lives and stopped worrying about what one “side” or the other thought.
What if no one showed up to “vote for the good guy” ever again?
Imagine if people who don’t want to wear a mask, just didn’t.
What if people who want to wear masks just did so while minding their own business?
Imagine if everyone literally turned off corporate media. Period.
What would happen if instead of a divorce, couples worked through their differences and remembered why they loved each other?
Imagine not finding excuses to send our little ones to government schools.
What if we sat down as a family to eat a meal together without the TV on?
Imagine that instead of being addicted to watching every sport available on earth, men (and even some women) started investing time in their children again.
What if we all put away our boat, four wheeler, Harley, jet ski, snowmobile, RV, and every other toy we’ve been blessed with for *just one year* to work on relationships and society?
Imagine turning off our tracking devices (cell phones) at a predetermined time every day. (We used to live without having to be in touch with people 24/7)
What would happen if we took a walk in our neighborhood and greeted people we saw in their yards?
Imagine cooking something and taking it to your elderly neighbor?
What would happen if that noisy apartment dweller all of a sudden just decided that courtesy and consideration actually do matter?
Imagine spending time together as a family in our yard, playing, laughing, hearing birds singing and loving one another.
What if while we are shovelling snow from our sidewalk, we go ahead and shovel the neighbor’s walk as well? (without being asked)
Imagine sitting around a table with friends and loved ones playing cards or board games while the cell phones are neatly tucked away where no one can hear them.
What if we ignored the person screaming at us to do something we don’t want to do and just walked away with a smile on our face?
Imagine believing in justice for every person.
What if we put items back on the grocery store shelf that have more chemicals in them than actual food?
Imagine if we started cooking from scratch using the best ingredients we can afford or grow for ourselves.
What if instead of cutting someone off in traffic or not letting someone get in front of us we just didn’t care and let them in with a friendly wave?
Imagine. Just imagine.
I could go on and on. Most of us have not had ideallic lives. In fact, I’d say that most people under 40 haven’t experienced most of the things I “imagined” above. But we did live in an America like this once. Say what you will about myself, my parents and grandparents… they were/are loving, caring and kind people. Maybe a bit naive at times, but ultimately wanted the best for themselves, their neighbors and the country they call/called home.
I’ve been blessed to have experienced and/or taken part in almost every one of the “what ifs?” and “Imagines” above. Over the last two years (much longer actually, but especially the last two), we have been told that all of the goodness that used to be America is gone. People are all racists, selfish, masogonistic, “too white”, “not black enough”, evil, white supremecist, and on and on and on. I disagree. We aren’t. Not yet anyway. But if we don’t start remembering what made America unique, every single one of the accusations being made against us will end up being true. Words and accusations have power when people start believing them. We have to practice being decent. We have to make an effort to be good to one another. We can’t let a very small minority change who we’ve been for generations. It is completely in our control to stop the madness. We do have a choice.
So the next time you have a chance to imagine what the world would be like if someone would just “what if”… take that thought and put it into action yourself! We’d be amazed by what would happen if we’d all just take a minute to be kind, decent and loving toward one another (especially our families). I know it can be hard. I struggle with it as well. But it has to start somewhere and someone has to take the first step. Let it be us. Let it be those of us who claim to love liberty above all else. If our cry for liberty is presented with true care, kindness, courtesy and love to the increasingly jaded masses it *will* catch on. It will become addictive and more and more people will also join in that hunger. It can happen. But we can’t keep waiting for someone else to stabilize our society. We have to do it. Just as I posted about everyone doing one small thing can make a difference, the same goes for polite society. One smile, one kind act at a time, we can change the world.
As someone who does 20 of the 22 questions already, I'd say it definitely helps. But maybe it's because I'm past that 40-something tipping point.
We don't have to do all things to be good people. But we do have to be good people to do all things.
I think we should still vote. Otherwise, excellent list, Rob, I'll try to remember to do the items I have failed to do previously.