I completely agree that everyone has their problems and that it’s petty and immature to try and compare the brevity of people’s situations.
But I also think that people our age, our generation need to start stepping back and looking at the big picture. There are many things I get annoyed and irritated about, many fights that I start that I shouldn’t. And that’s wrong, it really is. Because when I think about all that is wrong with the world and all the horrible things that happen around us and in the news, I realize that my little problems really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
Instead of spending all my time picking fights over who’s offending me or you or her or him, I find life is easier when you apologize and focus on life’s next big obstacle. Why waste your time trying to punish small fry, when you can tackle the big boss and win the game? Why worry about she said he said she did he did, when you could be focusing on walking that path to finding your place in the world where you could make a difference.
Rumors, gossip, and rants really help people blow off steam, and that’s totally fine. I know people that use work and gyms to relieve their emotional stresses - even better (I wish I had more of those motivations). Spending too much time and energy trying to foster hate and hurt, however, ruins your own quality of life. It makes you cold and it makes you bitter. People shouldn’t live like that, they weren’t made to.
There are better things to be worried about, better things to be putting energy into.
Honestly, some of our “first world problems” are things that we probably don’t really care about if we really think about it. We’re looking for something to blame, someone to take negative feelings out on. But that just perpetuates the cycle.
Does it really matter?
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My list of things to read about this week:
• Gaza & the Israeli/Palestinian conflict
• Animal shelters in the area - how to help
• United Nations’ stand on Ukraine
• Bullying & issues in the Japanese school system
• Law/Policy Graduate Degree for a career in international policy
• Paleo Diet and butter coffee