I recently started working at an independent cinema and I am really enjoying my experience so far. Ever since I went and saw a movie their last October I instantly had this feeling that it was a place I wanted to be. After working there for a little over a month I recently was thinking about the impact it has had on my life so far and how in that short amount of time it has given me the opportunity to really think about some issues we face as individuals in our society.
The Midtown Cinema is located in Harrisburg and one thing I enjoy about working there (besides getting to see movies for free) is the drive to work and walking when I get the chance. Now, let's just say Harrisburg and the area around the cinema, by word of mouth doesn't have the best reputation, but honestly, it is all about people's perception. There have been some people who have told me, "Be careful down there," and "Don't you know about that area." Now I get it, there have been a handful of bad situations take place but what city doesn't have their fair share of problems. So why do I enjoy the driving and walking? Well, it is a time for me to observe and watch the people. I think most people who aren't familiar with the area would say they see old run down buildings, graffiti markings, trash in the streets, and people getting into trouble. When I drive I see, shop owners standing outside waiting for customers, students talking, friends meeting up, and sadly homeless people asking for help. I look beyond all of the other surroundings and find the aspects that are true. I appreciate all of these different observations because to me they are real and I am watching people experience life. They are working to make a living, having social experiences, and some are just trying to get by, so really, what makes them any different from you and me? The answer is nothing. We are all trying to make a life for ourselves and it is sad when we try and take that away from others simply based on perception.
Today our world is full of people judging others and making assumptions before actually learning or experiencing what people and places are all about. Our society is so focused on the negative things happening that we forget to stop and enjoy the positive side of life. Watching the news these days it just seems like one story after the other is depressing and something bad is always happening. Well, I hate to say it, but we only have ourselves to blame.
"We're blaming "society," yet we are society.
So to make it a better place, we must first change ourselves."
I don't want you all to think I am calling out our society without recognizing that I place myself in the "Typical American," category. I make assumptions, pass judgements, and when things get hard I look to blame everything but myself, I am just like everyone else. The one thing that is great about admitting to those aspects of myself is I recognize I have the ability to change, if I am open to it. Life shouldn't be lived in the order of opinion then experience bur rather experience than opinion. Now asking people to do that is somewhat impossible because we can't help but have opinions going into certain situations but I would hope we could all be more open minded at times. I understand that people's opinions can sometimes be the same even after the experience which is fine, but then maybe that is the time for us to step up as individuals and help make a difference. Society does have a very big effect on us as individuals but I don't think people realize that we as individuals can have an even bigger effect on society.
Just the other day when I was driving home from work I noticed a homeless guy asking for help and by that I mean money. Now my outlook on situations like this used to be very close minded and negative towards the individuals. Shame on me. We are most often told don't give them money because they will just spend it on alcohol and drugs. Shame on us. I am happy to say I have completely grown out of that outlook and we all should to. There are so many people struggling more than we can even imagine and for us to hold back from helping simply because our perception that every homeless person is a drunk or into drugs is not how we should approach the situation. We don't know why they are in the situation they are in but one thing that is true, we aren't and probably never will be. A lot of us have the job, financial stability, family, and friends who would be there if we needed the help, not everyone is that lucky.
The situation didn't play out like I wanted. As soon as I caught a glimpse of the him I immediately starting fumbling around in my bag for some cash, I literally was holding up traffic before I finally gave in that I didn't have any. I was really upset as I had to keep driving without being able to offer them anything. I just kept thinking I could have made an impact on that person if only I had money with me and because of this situation I have decided to regularly carry cash with me. I feel like in this day in age people are always using credit cards to pay for things and never have actually physical money with them. Well I ask you all to start keeping some with you. Now I know there might be some hesitancy to just willing give some money to someone but just remember it's only paper and the only thing that makes it valuable, really, is the number on it.
At this moment I am very thankful for the opportunity to work at the cinema because it has opened my eyes to how our society, meaning all of us, need to be better. I knew it before but I know it even more now just from my short experience of working there. So what is my hope for us? My hope is that we can all reach a point where we are actively BEING society and aren't just LIVING in it. I want us to be able to accept the good, the bad, stop placing the blame and start accepting responsibility. For everyone to realize that in our world today, closed mindedness will only hold us back from improving upon where we are today. Will we every really make it? Maybe not, we never really know until we start opening our minds to the possibility of change and take that first step to better ourselves. It starts with you....and me....all of us.
Simple acts of kindness can go a long way and so as an opportunity for us all to help make an impact I ask you all find one thing each week you can do to help. Some of you might already do it which is great, keep it up! My act for the week is making a donation to Downtown Daily Bread. It is a soup kitchen in Harrisburg that provides hot meals for the homeless in the city. With the weather getting colder it is vital we make an effort to help those who don't have the ability to provide for themselves. I ask you to find out about a shelter or soup kitchen close to you and do the same. Remember the hardest part is the first step and willingness to open your mind but the impact you can have......so worth the change.
Annie
This quote speaks the truth about our world today. Instead of placing the blame why don't we all step up and take responsibility for our own actions and words. We can say it's the government, a certain culture, or religion, but really, it's all of us. Society is supposed to be built on the foundation of community which we just don't have. We go through periods when we gain huge strides as Americans and in the area of social justice but that doesn't give us the right to opt out when things get difficult. Our membership in society shouldn't just be when things are going well because it is during the hard times wen we all need to step up in different ways.
I don't want you all to think I am calling out our society without recognizing that I place myself in the "Typical American," category. I make assumptions, pass judgements, and when things get hard I look to blame everything but myself, I am just like everyone else. The one thing that is great about admitting to those aspects of myself is I recognize I have the ability to change, if I am open to it. Life shouldn't be lived in the order of opinion then experience bur rather experience than opinion. Now asking people to do that is somewhat impossible because we can't help but have opinions going into certain situations but I would hope we could all be more open minded at times. I understand that people's opinions can sometimes be the same even after the experience which is fine, but then maybe that is the time for us to step up as individuals and help make a difference. Society does have a very big effect on us as individuals but I don't think people realize that we as individuals can have an even bigger effect on society.
Just the other day when I was driving home from work I noticed a homeless guy asking for help and by that I mean money. Now my outlook on situations like this used to be very close minded and negative towards the individuals. Shame on me. We are most often told don't give them money because they will just spend it on alcohol and drugs. Shame on us. I am happy to say I have completely grown out of that outlook and we all should to. There are so many people struggling more than we can even imagine and for us to hold back from helping simply because our perception that every homeless person is a drunk or into drugs is not how we should approach the situation. We don't know why they are in the situation they are in but one thing that is true, we aren't and probably never will be. A lot of us have the job, financial stability, family, and friends who would be there if we needed the help, not everyone is that lucky.
The situation didn't play out like I wanted. As soon as I caught a glimpse of the him I immediately starting fumbling around in my bag for some cash, I literally was holding up traffic before I finally gave in that I didn't have any. I was really upset as I had to keep driving without being able to offer them anything. I just kept thinking I could have made an impact on that person if only I had money with me and because of this situation I have decided to regularly carry cash with me. I feel like in this day in age people are always using credit cards to pay for things and never have actually physical money with them. Well I ask you all to start keeping some with you. Now I know there might be some hesitancy to just willing give some money to someone but just remember it's only paper and the only thing that makes it valuable, really, is the number on it.
At this moment I am very thankful for the opportunity to work at the cinema because it has opened my eyes to how our society, meaning all of us, need to be better. I knew it before but I know it even more now just from my short experience of working there. So what is my hope for us? My hope is that we can all reach a point where we are actively BEING society and aren't just LIVING in it. I want us to be able to accept the good, the bad, stop placing the blame and start accepting responsibility. For everyone to realize that in our world today, closed mindedness will only hold us back from improving upon where we are today. Will we every really make it? Maybe not, we never really know until we start opening our minds to the possibility of change and take that first step to better ourselves. It starts with you....and me....all of us.
Simple acts of kindness can go a long way and so as an opportunity for us all to help make an impact I ask you all find one thing each week you can do to help. Some of you might already do it which is great, keep it up! My act for the week is making a donation to Downtown Daily Bread. It is a soup kitchen in Harrisburg that provides hot meals for the homeless in the city. With the weather getting colder it is vital we make an effort to help those who don't have the ability to provide for themselves. I ask you to find out about a shelter or soup kitchen close to you and do the same. Remember the hardest part is the first step and willingness to open your mind but the impact you can have......so worth the change.
"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.
For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
- Margaret Mead
Annie
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