This afternoon I had an interesting experience that involved my actions in a time of action. I was on my way to pick up my friend, Deborah, at her house. As, I got off the van and headed over to the stairs to knock on her door, I hesitated when I saw a struggling middle aged woman wearing a backpack trying to lift a red suitcase with her, while systematically attempting to bring up a bucket too that she had left on the second step.
When she saw me she was jilted back with surprise. Seeing as it was going to take her long to do all this, she got down from the first step, and let me through so that I may get to my destination on time. Not really taking mine and her actions into consideration, I thanked her kindly, and ran up the stairs to get Deborah.
After Deborah finally stepped outside her door, we were heading back down the open aired hallway of her apartment complex, when I saw the woman finish her journey up the stairs. She didn't look necessarily tired out or exhausted, but she did have a satisfied face when she realized her hassle with the stairs was over. She breathed, got her key out of her pocket, opened the door to the first apartment and disappeared along with her items.
It wasn't until I got back to the van that I consciously took in what had just happened, when my observing little brother yelled out, "Ivan! You are so rude! Why didn't you help that old lady!"
Really, Why didn't I? How is it that on a Sunday, I could have the courage to get up on pulpit and exhort all my brethren at church to be a good Samaritan, to do unto the least of these, to love thy neighbor? What happens when I don't follow my own advice in a time when I should follow it most?
James from the Bible is famous for stating that faith without works is dead. In other words, It is pointless to be a religious or an ethical person if our actions don't match up to our ideals. As, I've been dwelling more into philosophy this week, I found a movie on netflix called An Examined Life. The whole purpose of the movie is to get off the orthodox method of studying philosophy through complex texts, by instead visually demonstrating concepts. Philosophers, mainly professors, are filmed doing simple actions such as walking or taking boat ride, while they talk about their views on philosophy (it's importance, study, experience, practical application, etc) By far it was probably one of the most boring movies I have ever watched, I'm not going to lie, but there was a scene that really stood out for me. The philosopher that was walking down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, starting talking about ethics. He said that in order to give purpose to our lives, it is necessary that we center our efforts around helping humanity. Because let's face it, like Siddhartha Gautama said, "All life is suffering." Then is it not our responsibility to help mankind, not because we are obligated to, but because as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Straights, Gays, Men, Women and Humans of this world we have a heart that recognizes the vulnerability of our existing condition.
But it is not just preaching that that our love and charity for each other will give is purpose. It is actually making the efforts to demonstrate it through our daily actions and interactions with people, both familiar and strange. When it comes to the woman, what I did was wrong. It was unethical. I wasn't trying to harm anyone, but like the philosopher from An Examined Life continued to say, if we as human beings aren't anxiously waiting or seeking opportunities to help each other, and a moment without lending a hand or thinking of a way to better the world doesn't worry us, then we aren't living to our full potential and purpose.
I really am making it sound more complicated than it needs to be (hence, you notice the influence of philosophy in me) but really what I'm trying to say is that when we live our average lives, if we see someone in need, even if it's the dumbest little thing or something they can do by themselves, we should try to offer our aid, because doing that is what's going to truly make us better people in a better world.
And as Mormon Scripture quotes "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." -Alma 37:6
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