Caring about somebody or something is quite amazing.  I say this because most of us think the act of caring is voluntary when it should be involuntary basically second nature, like a heart beat necessary for living or the survival of community.  Though I continue to hear it is not my problem or job, so what they deserve it. Seriously, really what are you thinking?

Then I remember the stories to stop giving money to the homeless because they only use it for drugs rather than a home with food. We stopped helping people on the side of the road because of serial killers like Ted Bundy.  We stopped supporting coworkers to get a higher position or a bigger paycheck. We stopped recycling because someone threw their trash in the recycling bin.  This allowed people to stop caring because they had felt they were lied to, manipulated, taken advantage of or everything inbetween.  Some of these problems are easy to remedy such as recycling but others not so much and for these reasons caring became voluntary.  We had to have the mentality it is either me or them,  we have basically entertained the fight or flight response, survival mode all the time.  When you are in this mode for some people the ability to care drops dramatically.  Which turns my insides because it is against everything I was ever taught. I was taught to make others feel special, give successes and in return success will be returned. The old saying “kindness begets kindness” comes to mind which is the same as do unto others as you would do unto you.  Well What happened? Must we live scared of trusting people or too busy to make sure someone doesn’t go to their next meeting with mayonnaise on their cheek.  Take that moment and really go beyond the small talk to really care, you won’t regret the results of caring, you never know someone might care for you when you least expect it or need it entirely, just ask the lion who saved the mouse.

-Jennie Nawrocki