Please Spread Cheer to Others

Korrin B.

April 10, 2009 - 11:00 AM

Last night, I was hanging out with some of my friends and they brought to my attention a recent event that happened in Eugene that I had not heard about. It was a very sad story to hear and I didn't realize at first how much the story had affected me. Earlier this week, a 24-year-old man shot and killed himself in the middle of a movie at our local Eugene theatre. It is such an intense scene to imagine and once my friends had told me about it, my mind began to dwell on it. I was still thinking about it as I fell asleep last night and continued to contemplate it in a different light as the afternoon sun rose.

One thing I have noticed about myself is that I am an incredibly empathic person. Sometimes I feel like it's a good thing and other times it can feel overwhelming. I feel very intuitive and can physically feel others emotions at times. I found myself thinking a lot about the great sadness that this man must have been feeling and the loneliness that must have hurt him so much as to take his own life in a public place so that someone would find him. It is such a dark place to be in to no longer be able to hold onto the hope that will eventually drift you back toward the light.

This is my first year of being in my twenties and I can already attest to the fact that the twenties are a hard stage to go through. There is so much change going on and so many pressures to find out where you belong and what you're meant to do. Plus, in a world where the internet and cell phones have taken over the personal interaction, it is easier to find oneself alone, longing for friendship, but unsure on how to find it. This man was 24 years old. I know nothing about him, but I can feel his sorrow. It shocks me to think of someone my own age giving up.

I shed a tear today for this man and I hope that he finds a greater peace in the place where his soul rests now. It was his story that has reminded me to smile. It was his story that reminded me of the importance of acting as a community and coming together to help one another through the rough patches. It is more important than any of us could know to just smile and spread cheer to the other people we meet on our journey throughout the day. There are too many people just trying to get by, battling emotions that can sometimes feel bigger than them. I believe that a smile, a hug, a compliment, a helpful hand, can stop the quicksand of sadness.

I don't write this blog post to get my readers down or to make them sad, but instead to remind them how important it is to love one another. I encourage anyone reading this today to smile at people they pass on the street. Say thank you to those who provide you services throughout the day. Give a hug to a friend or a family member. Do anything that can spread even the smallest amount of joy. And if you see someone who looks like they might need help, make sure to stop and help them. Great sadness can affect any one of us at any time. You never know who might just need a bright smile to help them see a glimmer of hope. Be kind. Be joyous. Be happy. Be helpful. This too shall pass. May he rest in peace.