The Powers We Possess

I was once asked during an interview to tell of a time when I inspired someone else. This took me by surprise, and quite honestly, I spent more time than I should have thinking of my answer. This was partly because of my nerves, which had disabled me of recalling any memories outside the stuffy room I was sitting in. But it was mostly because I was looking at the question in entirely the wrong light. Me, inspire others? I'm no hero, no Mother Teresa, no John Lennon, no world leader. I mean, half the kids at school don't even know my name. How could I inspire others if others don't know me? Then it occurred to me. I was thinking on too grand of a scale; who ever said I couldn't inspire just one someone at a time?

Some of my favorite commercials are Liberty Mutual's  pay it forward advertisements (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frpp6DjCaJU&feature=related). Each one shows a domino effect of people performing simple, but day-changing tasks for perfect strangers. These random acts of kindness not only help someone directly, but also inspire an onlooker to do the same. Sure, this is a great tactic for tugging at potential patrons' heartstrings and gaining some attention for the company, but it speaks truths. One small smile, holding a door open for a stranger, or letting the next car in all hold the possibility of changing someone's day, or week, or month for the better. This small truth gives us the power to inspire and encourage others on a daily basis. But the reverse is also true.

If we hold the power to use words and actions for brightening someone's day, it follows, sadly, that we also hold the power to darken his or her day just as easily. Cutting the next guy off in traffic, believing a rumor, or rolling your eyes can be just as effective as good deeds at changing another's day, but for the worse. The saddest thing about all of this is that we, as humans, hurt each other constantly, and in order for us to avoid that, it takes some serious work and a conscious decision to help rather than harm. This being said, it becomes clear that the greatest power we possess is the power to choose.

"I can ride my bike with no handlebars, no handlebars, no handlebars" ("Handlebars" Fight With Tools). At first glance these few words appear to be, well, just words. But these seemingly simple lyrics from the band Flobots hold much greater meaning than that; they are part of a very long list of things humans could be capable of. Some tasks mentioned are relatively simple, like keeping the beat, while others are extremely complicated, such as creating a waterproof computer or a super efficient car. But, not everything on this list has the potential to benefit society. Along with clear examples of good, this song describes events like a Holocaust, or oppressive dictatorship. While it's true that some things mentioned seem rather extreme, the real life application can't be denied: we are presented each day with the choice to hurt or help the hurt. And while our decision between ignoring the homeless guy on the corner or buying him a cup of coffee may not appear in the history books, it still makes a difference, even if it's only for one person.

Our power to choose gives us the opportunity to initiate changes. Whether these changes are for good or bad lies with the decision we make. It does not matter if our choice affects one or one million, because the important part is that it's affecting someone. And who ever said we can't change the world just one someone at a time?

Best of wishes to you in this not so big, yet not so small world.

Sincerely,
- Emily

The Beauty of Bougainvilleas

Perhaps you've never even seen this flower before, or maybe you have and just never knew the name of it. Or, neither of the aforementioned applies to you, and you might think it a bit patronizing that I felt it necessary to include a picture of this gorgeous flower in my post. Whatever category you fall into, I believe I must inform you that my discussion of bougainvilleas is not focused on plant biology or the variety of colors these flowers come in. Rather, it consists of a more philosophical approach. So be ready for some heavy stuff.


When looking at the image above, you'll notice that bougainvilleas are rather flashy and colorful, their showy hues contrasting with a plain, white center. Big deal, right? But surprisingly, its small, seemingly insignificant center is the whole flower. The huge, bright pink surrounding is simply there for, essentially, aesthetics. While it's true that these bracts attract the birds and bees needed for pollination, all of the actual work happens in the tiny, out shined center of the plant.

Now, by this point you're probably wondering why any of this matters. What influence could this possibly have on my life? Here comes the metaphor. In everyday life, whether it be at work, home, or school, we are required to complete tasks. Whether it be as simple as feeding the dog, or as big as putting together a business proposal, each task we are asked to perform requires time and effort on our part. And quite often, our hard work goes unrecognized. This can be extremely frustrating, and even more so when the credit is given to someone else. So when our efforts are forgotten, and we don't get the glory we feel we deserve, that's grounds to just give up, right? Well, think about the bougainvillea flower. Even though the hardest working part of the plant is often overlooked next to its attention-grabbing bracts, it continues to do its job. Now before you start to criticize, and say, Wait a minute Emily. Flowers are very different from people, I'll assure you I'm quite aware of this fact. But consider this: Humans often get inspiration for designing cars, houses, and skyscrapers from plants and animals. So why can't we also use this inspiration for the design of how we live our lives?

This is not to say we should be doormats for those who insist on taking the credit for our efforts. It's also not to suggest that we should expect others to do the hard work and not whine when we want to tag along for some time in the spotlight. It's really to help you, and me, keep in mind that if we decide to give up just because we don't get the recognition we want, it not only affects those who we feel have wronged us, but it usually comes back to bite us as well. Think what would happen if the small, yet important center of a bougainvillea just stopped working because it wanted to be bright and noticeable. Sure, its colorful competitors would suffer, but so would the flower itself. This being said, we must also make an extra effort to recognize the achievements of those who have been pushed behind the scenes; because if we know how discouraging it is to work tirelessly without gratitude from anyone, why should we let someone else feel that way?

So there you have it: the beauty of bougainvilleas. Who knew we could learn so much from a flower, eh?

Best of wishes to you in this not so big, yet not so small world.

Sincerely,
- Emily

Oh, the usual

It seems as though most "bloggers" start out with a post explaining why they set up a blog in the first place. Perhaps this really is something they'd like to talk about, or maybe it's to motivate them to continue posting, or maybe it's just to prevent his/her blog from remaining empty while they think of a topic they're actually passionate about. Whatever the case may be, I'm going to do the same thing; because, since I've already given into society by starting a blog in the first place, I may as well not stop there.

The title of this blog (just in case you missed the giant letters at the top of the page) is "To Be Determined." Now, you might think that this title was just me being lazy, not wanting to come up with something more creative and catchy. But that's, where you're right. Quite honestly, that was my original thought. I decided I didn't have time to come up with a fancy name for my contributions via Internet, and thought, Well, I'll just come up with something better later. But then when I really considered the name, I found it to be fitting. In a literal sense, I really don't know everything I'm going to talk about on this blog. It is not specialized for discussing health food, my favorite books, political issues, or anything in between. The topics for this new "outlet" of mine are yet "To Be Determined." In a metaphorical sense, I truly believe that our lives are what we make them. As a good friend pointed out to me, we do not discover ourselves; we discover who we want to become. Our futures are not set in stone, and while it's true that outside influences have an effect on our lives, the person we choose to be is ultimately "To Be Determined" by ourselves. And although this philosophical topic may or may not be a main component of my blog, I feel it is fitting the title be something that reflects a main ideal of mine.

Hopefully this introductory post will be enough to tide you over until I come up with another, more interesting topic to ramble on about. Ideally, you enjoyed reading this. However, if you feel my somewhat apathetic and cynical attitude towards blogging and my clear lack of planning are not for you, well then, feel free to knock it, my friend, because now you've tried it.

Best of wishes to you in this not so big, yet not so small world.

Sincerely,
- Emily