From my phone...

In someone elses house...that is where I am writing this post. I am house sitting for a friend who is on vacation this week.

I was laying here trying to write and my mind started to wander, as it does late at night. I started to think about how different life looks late at night. When it is dark and quiet, things that mattered before don't seem as important. At least in my life I have a different perspective late at night.

Earlier today I was sitting in my living room with my Dad watching reporters talk about the Presidential election that is coming up. They were discissing the meetings that went on today in regards to the economic bailout plan that is on the table right now. As most of my friends know, I am pretty fed up with politics in general right now. At the time I was kind of interested in what they were saying, at least for a minute. Then the republicans were talking about the democrats and the democrats were talking about the republicans and they were both saying the other one was lying. Now they are saying that there probably won't be any agreement made, at least not for a while.

My opinion during the day was to get upset at them all. They are acting like kids and it was annoying me. Now that I have had time to think about it my opinion has changed.

I think that they were acting like adults. We say that people are acting like kids...but what are kids acting like? They just act like smaller versions of their parents most of the time. We tell kids to share and yet we won't give the person in line at the gas station a quarter, even when we see them searching through their pockets. Why don't we give them a quarter? Well if I give them a quarter then I would have to use my checkcard to buy my coffee instead of paying cash and I don't want to do that.

We don't really change as we get older most of the time, we are just more diplomatic about things. We don't scream and cry as much, but we do still work out ways to get what we want. I try to make it a point to put what other people need before my own wants. I was thinking about why I do that and I came to one conclusion. I blame my parents. They are the ones who showed me how to treat other people. I know we are all "told" how to treat people, but I saw what I heard put into action. Whenever someone needed a place to stay, they opened up their home. My parents worked opposite shifts while going to school so that one of them was always at home with us. They sacrificed a lot to be at all of our sporting events. Our needs were always put before their needs.

Since we had good role models, all three of us boys have turned out to be above average when it comes to giving. We do things that most peopke don't understand. We give when it isn't expected and we don't ask for anything in return.

What would happen if more people started being nice and thinking about others needs first? What would happen if you were that role model for someone else? You may not think people are watching, but they are. We can change the world around us, even if it is just one person. Do something nice for someone today. Not because you want something, just because it is the right thing to do.

Mixed emotions

Why have I been so scattered lately? It has been almost 2 weeks since I have been able to compose my thoughts into any sort of order. I know that it stems from the untimely death of Mitch Morrison and seeing how it affected so many people.

The issue that I am having is one of perspective. This is a similar issue to the one that I had when I came back from my missions trip to India. People (including me sometimes) put so much value on things that don't matter. We all get upset and stressed out about things that will pass and next week won't even be an issue. In some cases you won't even remember what was so important! We will blow people off to go see a movie that will be playing in the theater for a month and probably is not going to be worth your $8.50.

I am having trouble putting value on the little things in life that don't have to do with relationships and people. That is what is important. Family, friends and even the people who you don't know but that you can make a difference in their lives.

It is obvious to me that most people do not have the same opinion as I do about what really matters in life. A lot of them will say that they agree but their actions speak louder than their words. If your focus is on yourself and your happiness then your life will always be shallow. You will always be struggling to find the next thing to make you smile.

If you focus is on other people then you can smile with others. You are happy for their success and you will never need to go out and try to find yourself. I believe that we are not here on earth for ourselves. We are here for others and that is where I will keep most of my energy focused.

"You Can Only Get What You Want, If You Help Enough Other People Get What They Want" -Zig Ziglar