The Hat on the Other Head

Divisive. Judgemental. Misunderstood. The great divide.

Why do we have to take sides on everything these days? Mind you, I'm not talking about cheering for sports teams or competition in the business world. What we see now is freedom versus control. People hating each other because they think everyone else is stupid. Text on a computer screen or words from a newscaster create such a fury within us lately. We either adore the content, or vehemently despise what we see, hear, and read. There seems to be no in between anymore.

Sadly, much of our strife these days comes from the COVID-19 situation. The politics. The health. The science. The humanity. The love . . . or lack thereof.

Last year, I wrote an article called "Beyond the Mask" for a small Kansas newspaper. It sparked so much controversy, confusion, and dismay that events from that day eventually led to me losing my job there. A shame.

But this situation portrays the perfect example for society's current woes. The intent of my article was to talk about the 2020 mayhem and how we could use it to improve our individual health status.

You see, at the time (and maybe even still in the present) so many people were concentrating on masks, an eventual vaccine, and closing businesses as the only solutions for fighting this pandemic. I wanted to remind people of personal health - our first and best line of defense for living a life free of fear and anxiety.

I began the article by buttressing the importance of masks and an eventual vaccine for those who choose to do so. In ADDITION to these measures, I included dozens of other ways to keep your body's immune system running optimally, to avoid sickness and struggle. Well, people were furious. They took offense as if I had pooped in their breakfast, calling all of them obese and their children fools. They couldn't see clearly what my intent was, which was to try and calm the masses instead of infuriate them.

My father and I released a book titled "Survival on an Island" in October of 2020 and it spoke about how a person can get his or her mind right to stay healthy going forward in this new world we live in. I was proud of our efforts, and I wanted to use this article to bring awareness to others about the subjects included in the book. My father runs New York Health and Longevity in Manhattan, New York. He helps people live longer, more active lives focusing on the immune system and hormonal balance.

The short-sightedness of my small audience in Kansas couldn't see the forest for the trees. They didn't want to think outside the box. None of them wanted to view things from another perspective. They hated the hat that was on my head and in no way wanted to try it on to see if it fit or looked good. The epitome of ignorant.

So my friends, I implore you to be more considerate of others. Try and see things from their perspective. Walk a mile in another person's shoes. These days, people are not living their lives trying to make bad decisions. In general, the human race is not dumb. Survival is innate and at the forefront of each induvidual's mind every day. First survive, then thrive.

Love is the only answer. If we cannot try and work together through the current health crisis, then the politicians win and we become their robots. Robots are obedient, but they have no soul and can only do what they are commanded to do.

This isn't about shaming others. It isn't about name calling for the sake of ego and pride. Objectivity is an important trait and one that we should all tap into a little more each day. I hope that someone challenges me on this, because I will listen. I will hear the opinions of others and sincerely put the effort into learning about what I may be missing.

I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson explain that the meaning of life is to make the world better each day because of your presence in it. This is something under our control, within our grasp. The way I try and do this is to listen to others and try to see from their perspective. To try on another mans hat and see how it fits. Maybe it will look good on me also? But, I won't know unless I try it on.

See both photos below as an example of what I mean . . .