Running in the Rain

I went for a run outside today. Probably not the most rational thing for Dec 30^th, but what can be done? Any way, about a half mile into it, the skies opened up and the rain started to fall. It was an amazing experience. The run was in and of itself a pretty good run all things considered. I ran as fast as I have since high school and felt pretty good after the fact. But the rain, it made the whole thing feel so natural. It was running the way running should be.

This whole experience got me thinking about the natural world, and my personal experiences with it. Unfortunately, these experiences, true nature experiences, are few and far between, so the thinking didn’t take long. But in that short amount of time, I did come to the realization that, though I haven’t experienced much nature first hand, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t start getting out into the “bush” and seeing what the gods, or god, or whatever you believe, intended for the world to be.

I know this is kind of short and kind of disconnected, but I hope I’m making my point. While I typically am pushing for making the world a better place, today I want to encourage everyone to take a moment to look at the world we are trying to improve. Look at what is around you. Take a moment to stop and really see what you see everyday. And if you have the opportunity, take the opportunity to dive into nature. Go on a camping trip, spend some time fishing, or just take a hike. Whatever you do, make sure to take the opportunity to notice this awesome world we live in.

"Up Yours Mr Peanut"

Many of you who have been following me since day one (or know me personally) know that I am a big fan of doing what is right. In fact, it is the purpose of this blog to encourage others to join me in my mission to change the world by doing what is right. And while doing what is right is always good, sometimes doing something small goes a whole lot further. People all need something different to make them happy, and sometimes that thing is as simple as a coloring book.

I hope that the person in the following story doesn’t mind my sharing this story. Several years ago (40 or more if my memory serves) a friend of mine sent away for a Mr Peanut Presidents of the United States Coloring Book. It cost him 15 cents and two Planters wrappers. He waited and waited, but like so many childhood heroes, Mr Peanut turned out to be a sham. And my friend, being who he is, was very very bitter about not receiving his coloring book. Fast forward to this Christmas. As my friend sat around the tree doling out Xmas gifts with his family, he had no idea that a very special gift was waiting for him under that tree. A Mr Peanut Presidents of the United States Coloring Book. The exact one he had sent away for so many years ago, now he had finally received it. Though under very different circumstances from what he had originally hoped or intended.

Had my friend received this item the way he had originally intended, it would have gone the way of so many childhood coloring books: scribbled in and destroyed the thrown out with the leftovers from so many family dinners. Now, having had time to brood over the failure of Mr Peanut, the item is an instant treasured keepsake.

There are two things we can learn from Mr Peanut’s Presidents of the United States Coloring Book. One, is that sometimes, it’s good to wait for the things we want now, because we may end up wanting them more later. The other thing that I personally learned is that, you never know what will make someone’s day. You never know what little, seemingly simplest of things, may make somebody’s day just a little brighter. And if you can do something small to make their life better, why shouldn’t you?

"I don't care what you're doing so much as the idiotic way you're doing it"

As most people who know me can tell you, I am always a fan of people going out and doing what is right. I’m also a fan of people making the lives of themselves and others not only easier, but better. Even small things receive the Davis seal of approval. I’m also an advocate of doing things your own way. There’s no single right way to change the world, and every life needs something different to help make it better. However, recent developments have caused me to think maybe there is a wrong way to make the world a better place.

There is a new video game coming out that is attempting to spread the word of God by putting players in the role of an acolyte of Christ. The player will then attempt to convert the non-believers and when they fail, there task is to execute the heathen. Now, I am all for spreading the word of whatever gods, goddesses, or spiritual greatness you believe in. That being said, I don’t think you should do it by encouraging people of other faiths to “assimilate or die.”

Now, I’m not trying to pass judgment here. While I don’t approve of the game and the things it is attempting to propagate, I also know that all these developers have done is the same thing we all have done at one time or another. Who of us hasn’t at one time or another thought, “If everything was just done the way I do it, it would be easier for everyone.” Whether it was something at work, something in our day to day lives, or anything else that we believe in, we are all guilty of this same thing. And that is where the issue needs to be corrected. We as a people don’t need to go out and change other peoples ways of thinking to our own, we need to accept that they think differently and change our way of thinking about their beliefs.

The world is a diverse and at times convoluted place. Different ideas work for different people. Different people have different ideas of what the meaning of life is. I think we need to spend time celebrating our differences and what makes each of us unique, but I also think that we, as members of the human race, need to find some sort of common ground and make strides to better the world to those ends.

-davis-

Player 2

I’ve recently began playing some of my old video games again. That being said, I’ve also spent some time reflecting on my history with video games. When I was a kid, like 9 or 10, I wasn’t very much into gaming the way I was when I was in junior high and high school, and my only exposure to games was at my friends and cousins homes. And as anybody who plays video games can tell you, the person who owns the game gets to be player one, and the guest gets to be Luigi.

At the time this unwavering rule of gaming seemed a bit unfair to me (and in all fairness it still does), but it did however alter my way of thinking in a pretty significant way. It took me several years to realize that being “Player 2” has shaped my consciousness in ways I never knew before.

One thing about being player 2 was I always had to wait and take my turn second, if I got a turn at all. This was very disheartening as a child because like most children, I wanted immediate gratification. As an adult, I’ve had the opportunity to look at this waiting my turn in a different light. I got a chance to see the dangers of the Mushroom Kingdom before I had to throw myself into them. This gave me the opportunity, and in adulthood the ability, to assess my current situation and develop a plan to make it through the tough times ahead. It also gave me an opportunity to look at the game for what it was. See things that a person in the moment might miss because they’re too busy dodging anthropomorphized bullets. The ability to perceive the world for what it is and take advantage of the things that make life easier is something a lot of people miss out on because they want to be first.

Another thing about being player 2 is I always had someone else in command. When playing cooperatively with friends and relations, I was never the one who was deciding where we went. I got the opportunity to learn how to take orders and perform without having to have the burden of failure looming over my head constantly. The advantage this gave me was when I have had the opportunity to lead, I’ve been able to look back on what I would have done differently in situations I’ve been in previously, as well as look at what those ahead of me have done well and combine their effort with mine into something truly unique and at times legendary. Learning doesn’t always have to come from the best, learning is something that should be strove for at all times. And even the most idiot decision making can be a great learning tool if you are willing to look at it from all angles.

The last thing I’ve noticed about always being player 2 when I was young was I was generally less well equipped than player 1. Player one got the rocket launcher and the submachine gun and the stock pile of grenades. I got a handgun and a pocketful of “key items” that were anything but useful in the course of the game. This did however teach me great adaptability. I was like the MacGuyver of video games. Give me an avocado and a handful of safety pins and I’ll bring down Bowser’s entire operation. I’ve found myself in real life on more than one occasion with less than adequate armament and a greater than average foe and still found a way to get myself where I needed to be. Plus, I also found out later, when I did finally get my hands on that rocket launcher, that it was actually less effective than the weaponry I had been using. Just because it was smaller and less “stand out” didn’t in any way make it less useful. It just made it less “cool”. And “cool” hasn’t gotten anybody very far in the long run.

Normally when I sit down to write something like this, I have the moral of the story all wrapped up in a neat little bow before I sit down. This time, I don’t necessarily know that I have a neat little bow to put on this present. I guess the moral is, being player 2 isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you’re willing to be a bit patient, and use the time you spend waiting to focus your energies. I’m not sure what I want people to take away from this, but I do hope it makes your life a little easier.

Also, many apologies to Luigi. Being player 2 isn’t that bad, and we shouldn’t treat you differently because of it.

Every Rock Tells a Story

Today I was reminded of a saying that at one point in my life was my mantra. Through the course of life, sometimes things like this are pushed to the back of one’s mind and nearly forgotten about. This simple saying is not something that should ever be forgotten. It is one of the most philosophical sayings I’ve ever heard in my life, and it took me entirely too long to realize it. The saying goes, “Every Rock Tells a Story.”

Not terribly deep when taken at face value, but when you really sit down to look at this saying and all the things it represents, you can’t help but be impressed by its simplicity.

Every year one of the few things I really look forward to is the “Guys Campout” with the Marler family. My dad, cousins, uncles, and I all go out to Little Indian Creek for our yearly tradition of camping, sitting around an open fire, and (for those of us old enough), kicking back a few beers. These excursions have always been a lot of fun and being in nature is always a very spiritual experience for me anyways, but this one saying came up a lot during our trips and really helps put the whole thing into perspective. What started out as a clever way to get me and my cousins to stop throwing rocks at one another has turned into the saying we should emblazon on the family crest. “Every Rock Tells a Story.”

When I stopped to really think about this saying, I was surprised by what it could teach me. I was sitting in the creek playing with a handful of rocks and began to examine each of these rocks closely when it dawned on me. This rock is unique. And not only is this rock unique, but this rock has been unique for hundreds of years. That was when I began to question the history of the rock. Where did this rock come from? What larger rock did this rock break off from? When did this rock settle in this spot? How did this rock get here? Why did this rock stop here, of all places? Then I finally hit on the most important question of all. Who else has touched this rock? Who else has had their life affected by this rock in some small or significant way?

The rock has been here for years I imagine, and with this creek seeing several hundred people a year, I’d imagine at some point in the past, whether it be recently or in the distant past, this rock has been touched by other human beings. And just like I now have a story to tell about a rock, this rock has a story to tell about me. And if this rock now has a story to tell about me, how many other people does it have stories about?

At this point I’m going to pause and give you a moment to catch up. It seems like the incoherent ramblings of a madman, I know, but stay with me on this, it’ll all make sense in time.

The rock that was sitting in my hand that day is now tucked safely away in a jewelry box of my wife’s. This rock had a special place in my heart now. It had inspired me to think about the story I was telling, but also about the stories I am a part of. The rock has linked me to dozens of people I have never met and will more than likely never meet, but we are still all major players in the same story. The story of the rock. And though my wife has never been out to the Little Indian Creek (as of the time of this writing), that very special place is a part of her story. The rock has brought that part of the world to her, and it has linked her thousands of other points in history. Time, space, distance, humanity. All of these things are captured within the story of this tiny little rock. All we had to do was take a moment to think about it, and we would realize just how special that little rock is.

I know I haven’t necessarily done a great job expressing myself in the above soliloquy, but I hope my point is clear. We as people find ourselves coming in contact with hundreds if not thousands of other people every day. And these people will come in contact with hundreds or thousands of people. And those people…you get the picture. The point is, we are all a part of one big story, the story of the rocks, and it is dependent on the characters in that story to make sure it has a happy ending. All the rocks can do is help us tell it.

The difference one soul makes?

I sit here tonight wondering just how much of a difference one soul can make on a world that is so bad off and I realize that the answer can either depress or uplift me. It's all in how I choose to see it. The answer is of course, not much. One person, one soul, can't do a whole lot to make this world or the people in it better. This one person can do something though. This one person can make one person's life better. Will I ever save the world? Probably not. But if I don't try, who will?

"Individually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean."

I go to that quote a lot and unfortunately it doesn't seem to get me very far. I am one drop, now I need my ocean behind me. Let's see what kind of difference 100 souls can make in this very troubled world.

I hope to one day be the stranger upon who’s kindness is depended….

There are a lot of things that go into making this world a better place. There is so much wrong with the world, that it’s hard to know a good starting point. It’s hard to find a place to jump in. Fortunately, we aren’t required by any pact or bond that says we have to change the world by the end of the week, so starting off small isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Realistically, I think it’s the only way to go.

Wednesday afternoon, a man walked into a local retailer and made his way to the layaway area of the store. The man found a seat near the counter and made himself comfortable. Then he waited. Several people passed the man and paid him little to no mind, not even so much as a “how do you do?” And still the man waited. After some time a customer finally approached the counter and asked to make a payment on her layaway account. The cashier pulled up the account and as the lady went to hand the cashier the money, the old man stood, walked over to the cashier, and handed her the money to pay for the entire layaway. The cashier and the lady stood in amazement, thanking the old man for his kindness. The old man said “it was nothing”, and proceeded back to his seat. Shortly after that, a man came in to make a payment on his layaway account. Again, the old man came in a paid the account, in full, for the stranger. The man thanked the old man for his generosity, and again the old man said “it was nothing,” and proceeded back to his seat.

Shortly after these two customers had their transactions, a third customer approached the counter. She was a young lady with two kids in her cart and very visibly had a third on the way. The young lady approached the counter and said to the cashier that she would like to cancel her layaway, she was not going to be able to get it paid off before it was due to be out and they wouldn’t be able to afford the gifts for her children. As before, the old man waited for the cashier to pull up the account, at which time he approached the counter, and handed the cashier the money for the layaway. The young lady was stunned by the old man’s generosity. She thanked the man and gave him a hug. The old man simply said, “it was nothing.” At this point the old man turned and walked right out the front doors of the store.

We can’t always make the big impacts. We can’t stop hunger, or illness. But we can do something. Even if to us “it was nothing.”

The World at Large...

“Be the change you want to see in the world” - Ghandi –

We all want different things out of life. Some want to be happy. Some want money, or fame. Others want to be gold medal Olympians. Regardless of our life’s ambition, we can all agree on one thing: The world we live in now is broken. Between sickness, famine, environmental distress, and just generally not caring about the person we stand behind in line at the grocery store, we as a people have issues.
The Global Transfusion Movement is about fixing those issues. It’s about identifying a problem, figuring out the solution, and taking steps in order to fix things. And GTM isn’t just about fixing things on a global scale; it’s about improving the day to day lives of ourselves and those around us. The world is broken here and now, as well as everywhere on this Earth. A lot of us don’t have the time or the money to try to fix things all over the world, but how many of us can honestly say we can’t take two seconds out of our day to help someone reach the top shelf at the hardware store? These little things help out too, and make our world a better place. That is the first thing that GTM is trying to achieve; impacting the lives of those we can directly influence. 

Helping Others
Helping those around us is a simple task that can ultimately make the world a better place. Simply smiling at someone can turn their whole day around. The first commitment that the Global Transfusion Movement members should make is to their community and those around them. Finding a way to improve the community you live in as simple as looking in your local newspaper. Starting a youth outreach program, or volunteering at a local hospital or library reading to kids, are just a few of the many things that can help reach out to those around us and make the world we live in a better place. But this is just the first step. While we may not be able to make a huge change in the world, taking steps to improve the world at large is the next commitment that we at GTM want to make.

Helping the World
There are a lot of different ways to help the world, and GTM isn’t going to force any of those ways on anyone. The idea is that you can decide what you want to do to help. All we ask is that you help. Whether it’s donating time to an organization of your choosing, finding a way to sponsor a group of people in need of assistance, or even something as simple as recycling. The point is, we want you to help. But on top of helping the people around us, and helping the world at large, the Global Transfusion Movement wants you to do something for yourself.

Helping Ourselves
A lot of groups and organizations ask for people to help others, but very few ask you to take the time to make sure you do something for yourself. GTM is not that type of organization. We encourage you to take time out of your day, each day, to improve the quality of your life. Everything from eating better, to working out, to just not letting the little things get to you is on the table. Do something each day to improve the quality of your own life. Improving the lives of those around us is a good thing, but if we don’t help ourselves, the world will still be the same miserable place we’ve always lived in.

This is our mission statement. Helping Ourselves, Helping Others, Helping the World. We all want to help, and we all think the world is broken in different ways, the important thing is that we take steps to fix it. Regardless of what we do to help, as long as we’re all helping, we should see the improvement we desire.