One of my favorite quotes is by Margaret Mead. She once said, “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”
A few caring people. Those are the ones that have changed the world, really. Yet. There are a lot of us here. Doing what we do, on the day to day of things.
The most of us like to say that we are civilized…. as in… polite, courteous, well mannered. We say we are enlightened, educated, advanced, developed. Us humans.
But really, are we? Sometimes it seems the truth couldn’t be further from that.
We are filled with scientific knowledge, and we have made great leaps an bounds when it comes to technology. Think about that iPhone sitting next to you. These were the things of Star Trek not too terribly long ago.
But, with all of that… we are still… on many levels…. behaving in an inhumane way.
Not only are we fighting with one another… in some cases… killing each other… we are also harming the animals, and the earth in general. We are trying very hard to destroy the environment with a whole-big-bunch of our everyday actions.
I don’t know if it will ever, ever, ever be possible for us to live in harmony with our co-inhabitants of this place. Earthlings, I’ll tell you. We are a strange lot.
Now this goes to the most serious of degrees. I assure you. But it has to start in little places like… the public restrooms for crying out loud.
Men, you won’t understand the most of this. You see… YOU have been very blessed with your penises. Yes, I just said penises. For NO other reason than they allow you to pee… pretty much…. where ever the heck you want to pee.
Women, when thrust into the domain of public restrooms are basically given three choices. Sit. OR. Cover the seat and sit. OR. Squat and hope for the best.
Personally, for me, it depends on the condition of the restroom. More often than not, I am a “cover the seat, and pee.” But. You guys… you can just saunter in to the men’s room, unzip and stand within decent range of the urinal. Some more accurately than others. This is a gift, a huge gift, from the gods above… which you should give thanks for every waking day.
They say men think with their penises. I believe this to be true. Not because of sex. Because of peeing. You pee far more often than you have sex. And don’t try to convince anyone otherwise. I know peeing. I am ruled by my bladder at this time in my life. However, I am forced to make the 1 of 3 choices listed above. You just go and stand anywhere you please. You should thank little Mr. Happy gift of going anywhere. Your built in nozzle. You Mr. Teapot. Tip me over and pour me out.
But I have digressed. From speaking of World Peace… to the world pees.
And so it goes with me. I started out with good intentions and great enthusiasm. So before I wrap this, I will suggest we keep trying. Not peeing. But living in harmony, unity, balance and peace. So. I suggest…
1. To leave the bathrooms better than we found them. All of us. (Don’t laugh. It MIGHT help.)
2. To create a better world, by doing something little each day. It may be something like.. giving someone a break. Maybe we should try not to negatively judge people. Everybody has a story. Maybe they had good reason to pee all over the seat and not clean up after themselves.
3. Of course we should always practice what we preach. We lead by example. While no one will see us clean up after ourselves, it may dawn on them to give it a try themselves.
4. And. Always flush. Always.
Just remember, a few of us can begin to make changes in this world.
In all seriousness, we have to.
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
― Rumi