Walking Through Life with my Headphones on.

When I walk on campus with my headphones on and look around at the beauty of my surroundings and the people talking, or even just walking with their own headphones on – it takes me to a different point of view – I feel as though we are similar units. Not as separated by the details that society and the media tries to make up and divide us with.

Race.

Ability.

Age.

Money.

Politics and choosing sides.

Why are we so easily brainwashed? When it comes down to it, we are a whole made up of the same parts. Working to accomplish a purpose, whatever it may be for each of us individually; all of us dealing with struggles.

No matter how entitled a person, there are struggles.

People look different when you don’t instinctively judge them immediately. Everyone becomes truly equals. There’re only a few (outlets that do that, like music and math). People can be seen for their intellect instead of how other’s perceive them.

As humans, we are naturally self-centered and would like to say otherwise, but it is true. You don’t realize it at first when you start to judge another person, scaling them with your eyes, yet your mind says, “that you have gone through so much worse and that they don’t deserve to be so happy… there must be something wrong with them to be so happy, with their Starbucks and pretty hair…if they only knew the way you were feeling today, they wouldn’t be smiling either.”

Those are the bad days though. 😉

Drawing comparisons between yourself and another is also human. Something that is taken a little to the extreme nowadays, but was once necessary for survival. Being the faster, more clever and stronger of the two was undoubtedly going to pay off when it was you against a lion. Like I said though, nowadays – it just really brings anxiety, self doubt, low self-esteem, and it’s a poor substitute for confidence.

What IS necessary is for us to stop and notice the similarities between ourselves and others. To start being positive towards those we can, even if it is just a small compliment. To come together as a people, as a community, as a land, as a planet and just choose kindness. Because kindness really is a choice.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tv/features/best-headphones-and-earphones-under-rs-5000-764620