Living Simply: Selfishness

   

     Today I was talking with a friend and was absolutely appalled. She's a flight attendant on a major airline and recently something terrible happened on a flight from Arizona to Hawaii. A passenger suddenly died on the plane! The passenger collapsed and my friend was trying to administer CPR on her like she was trained to do. A passenger sitting in the seat next to the lifeless body and my friend (who was doing all she could to restart the heart) had the nerve to tap my friend on the shoulder and say arrogantly, "Excuse me, but does this mean we won't have any beverage service on this flight?!" What the hell?! Are you freaking kidding me?! How can you be SOOOOOO self-absorbed! How can you have the nerve to tap someone on the shoulder while they're administering CPR?!

     When they landed, they couldn't let people off because the body was in the aisle. I've never experienced that but I think it would freak me out a little riding a long flight next to a dead body, but these things happen. The body couldn't be moved until the coroner and officials boarded and did their jobs.  Most of the people on board were going on vacation - a vacation many people will NEVER be fortunate enough to take - to spend a week or two surrounded by luxury, yet all they could do was complain about how the delay inconvenienced them! Again, how the hell can you be SOOOO self-centered?! A person died, their life is over, I don't know if they were traveling alone or not, but most likely not. What about the person with them? Imagine the surprise to their family? Their friends? Their neighbors? Everyone who didn't get a chance to say goodbye? What kind of world do those others on board live that someone's death is an inconvenience to THEM? How do they possibly live in a world full of disappointments and think their life should be trouble free, and others around them should do everything they can to rearrange the universe to see to it THEY aren't inconvenienced?

     Are you as shocked as I am? I sincerely hope so. I hope my readers are people who not only are planning to live more simple, intentional, minimalist life styles, but also who have a sense of community, giving back, empathy, caring, and helping those in need. What would you have done if you were on board?

     Can we take a minute to recenter and focus on how to be UNselfish and selfLESS when it comes to others? I believe the roots of being a better person come from a heart full of appreciation, thankfulness, and gratitude. If you appreciate what you have - and those around you, if you are thankful for the little things, not just the big things, if you're grateful for your life, your friends, family, significant other, your blessings - how can you be a selfish person, right? Today, and all this week, would you please try to find 5 things every day to be thankful for - or 5 ways to be unselfish when dealing with others? This world is falling apart at the seams. It needs a major shift in people to turn things around. Make this week count, not just for you, but for others as well.