A big scary small world

A few weeks ago I found myself doing a lot of “listening” to friends in Christchurch, New Zealand. The fact that I am sitting in my living room and typing back and forth with people who are hurting on the other side of the world from me in Chicagoland is both scary and humbling.

If you believe that the Universe puts you where you need to be, what does that say for the opportunities given to us on the internet? We play games, talk in chat rooms, read and converse in forums, and work with people all over the world. Yesterday I found myself in the right place and time to just listen to my friends. They don’t know each other, I know them from different places – authors I converse with on forums, people I am working with on some Google Docs, and folks in game chatrooms (Flight Rising anyone?)

The point is, they needed someone to listen that horrible day, someone to just…be there. I was humbled to be that person for them. With how big and scary our world is, we now have one of the greatest platforms for bringing people together in the history of our species – the internet. I encourage you all to reach out and do some good with it, some kindness, today.

There’s too much hate out there, too much pointing fingers and spreading fear. If you have a moment, post something positive for the world and the people out there. Spread a fun and positive meme, reach out and chat with a friend just to let them know you’re thinking of them, they are not alone. Widen that good bandwidth, decrease the bad bandwidth. Show the world that hate and anger, noise that separates us, isn’t the right way to live.

Let’s seek out new ways to connect to the good around us, new life and new positivity. Let’s boldly be a force for hope, for safe pursuit of happiness, for Life.

I shall continue to listen when my friends need it, and will continue to spread as much of a positive message as I can through what I do on a daily basis. Choose your messages and actions for the good you can give to others, not what you think should be taken from them. The world is Life. We are all connected. The world is big and scary, and there are people out there preaching hatred and violence, spreading fear and death. What are you spreading today? I hope it’s a healthy laugh, a warm hug, a thank you and appreciation for family, friends, and the connections we share.

Use your energy today and each day, to make this a better world. Help each other around the globe, and know that we may not know the color of their skin, the religion they follow, the clothes they wear, their gender or age, but we can still smile and laugh and love. I can just sit in my living room and listen to friends in New Zealand mourn and work through their fears. I can be here for them as they try and make sense of the violence and death that engulfed their lives. I am grateful that in this small connected world, I can be there for others in ways never possible before. We can push forward with something better for the world. We can get out there and support the good we see and connect to.

Go do a good deed today for someone, anyone!