My Column for the paper

So a few weeks ago I see this spot in the paper "Become a columnist, send in a sample and you may have a chance!" or something like that. What it should have said was this "If you don't know anyone who works at the paper don't bother applying. We only take relatives or friends of those who work here." How freaking fair is that? What about those of us who work our butts off trying to make a living by doing what we love? The new columnist is awful, doesn't know the meaning of spell check or the proper use of apostrophes. I wrote an amazing piece of writing, thinking that I may have achance of doing what I love, you know writing a warm hearted piece of journalism which would help man-kind. Or so I hope anyway.

But since it seems I need to know some idiot who works there to get a job I gave up on ever applying there. I mean, what's the use right? So, all my internet followers (whoever you are hai!) here's my piece.

Compassion or Apathy?

As I walk along the streets, my eyes touching the sights around me, I begin to wonder; where has the compassion gone? As a young adult living in a small city, I see things that appall me. Fights, arguments, frank discussions turning into brawls where someone always gets hurt. Where has the love gone, the times when we helped each other instead of fought? I remember a time when things were simpler; strangers waving at strangers, giving a loonie to a person who needs it. Now instead of a loonie, we ignore these individuals who have done nothing.

Finding the strength I need to continue my walk, I stop at the corner of Charlotte and George and stare as I see a young man of around twenty years old, wearing a light blue hoodie and baseball hat snobbishly defacing another human being. Right out in public with everyone watching. But does anyone help? No, instead they ignore the person and go about their business acting as if nothing happened. Respect has been hiding from us for too long.

But you may ask, what can I do to change things? Simple. Help someone, a stranger on the street asking for help. Don’t be afraid, everyone needs help and soon you may too. Why not show compassion for someone, they may just give you compassion back. You may not get anything back, but you’ll feel better knowing you did something no one else would. You could possibly save their lives.

Helping people is what it’s all about after all; we as humans are bound by some unknown existence to help, even if we don’t know it. It’s in our genes; this small little voice in the back of our heads demanding we do something about it. Most of us ignore this voice; this little nagging voice that sounds like that aggravating teacher we’ve all had. We find that it’s easy to ignore this voice; putting it away in our vault and going about our daily life.

But what if we actually listened to this voice and did what it said? Things could be different than wouldn’t it? Try opening that vault in your minds and listening to that voice and you may be surprised as to what you can achieve. Helping others is really what it’s all about; it makes you feel better about yourself, but not only that it, makes others feel better about themselves, which is a win-win situation.

So next time you’re downtown and you see something that you know is wrong, why not do something about it? It doesn’t have to be something supreme, it can be as simple as calling for help, shouting out-loud and distracting the wrong-doer. Anything that would show you care. It might not show right after it happens, but it will eventually show through. The Earth will breath easier, as will you knowing you did something no one else would.