The superficial

As the years pass the one thing that I cannot seem to tolerate is the superficial. Now I know superficial is a qualifying word and not a noun but if you look around you today, what you encounter most is the superficial – it has become a noun for it is the default state in which many go through life. I don’t intend to sound preachy and talk of why it is important that people engage in more than a superficial level. It is not my business to judge or act holier-than-thou. I do however feel profound sadness when there is so much pain existent in this world that can be mitigated if only people can engage deeply with others.

There is no lack of money today. But our natural resources are dwindling. The distribution of wealth has never been more unequal. There appears to be too many needy and not enough willing to share. We have seen this state of affairs for long enough. It is certainly not going to change overnight. Why should you care? It does not directly affect you. You have a nice house, a car or cars, your kids go to a good school, you have power and indoor plumbing, you have so much food that you waste it just because you are not in the mood to eat something and would rather just order something else.

I am not saying that you should give up your activities and immerse yourself in social work. I only say that every single person can make a little difference to one other person’s life with hardly any effort. Over the years I have marveled at the generosity and caring I have received from people who did not have much to share. I have been surprised by the disdain people around me have shown when I spoke of even the simplest ways to help a cause. It is most often the noveau riche who forget to be human beings and what’s worse, raise their children to be ignorant of the sheer joy of sharing, instead passing on the tendency to boast and demand rather than the ability to love and give. Could there be a poorer legacy?

It is giving that makes us better people. The less people know of your giving, the greater the satisfaction of having done something that helps you grow. Giving solely for the sake of receiving appreciation is of no use. All of this however has to be taught at a young age. As you grow older your heart shrinks and becomes hard with the deposits of ego, arrogance and prejudice. Giving becomes difficult and one is filled with a sense of entitlement instead of gratitude.

I look around my neighbourhood everyday. I hear conversations that are steeped in snobbishness and a feeling that the disadvantaged have no place in our world. If the people here had instead decided that they would feed one child a day from a family that cannot afford it or perhaps buy schoolbooks for a needy child or even just be caring to someone who could use a good word, there would be so much change. Now imagine if a country could change like that and then the whole world. Would there be so many atrocities committed if we felt others had the right to the same things we do? Would we kill someone because they pray differently or eat differently? Would we sit back and watch girls being raped and do nothing? Would we close our doors to people fleeing from persecution? Would we look at a picture of a tiny little boy washed ashore on some beach and move on to something easier to handle without a qualm?

Caring is what is missing in our existence. Caring is what brings meaning. Caring is the foundation of tolerance. Caring is what we need to teach ourselves and our children – instead life seems to be all about the easy superficial…