Selfless vs. Selfish: Truth Revealed During Troubling Times

Currently, the United States is in the midst of a crisis. People are in a panic not knowing what’s going to happen from week to week. Businesses have been shut down with no clear date of when they will reopen. There is a wave of uncertainty sweeping this country right now. These times tend to bring out either the best in people, the worst, or both. During the first few days, people were selfish. They did what they needed to do to make sure that their families had enough supplies. But as the days have gone by, we are beginning to see the selflessness of people. Even though the hoarder mentality still exists, we are starting to see that people have begun to think about others. It is such a beautiful thing to witness first hand. People are acting in ways that show that they care about their fellow man. A person is either a giver or a taker and during times like this, their true nature is revealed. 

We have all seen a lot of takers over the past week. They are the ones who are hoarding and buying everything off of the shelves. Is it wrong to buy the supplies and things that your family will need? No. Is it wrong to buy forty-nine cases of water when there are only fifty cases on the shelf? Yes. The takers want to hoard and keep everything for themselves even though they will not use it all. If it is on the shelf, they need it. No questions asked. In general, most people do not like to be around selfish individuals. They do not work well in a group. At the end of the day, they will make decisions that will only benefit themselves. What they do not realize is that even though it may seem that they have everything right now, in the end, they will end up with nothing. Just because a person may be selfish does not mean that they cannot change. It takes effort. They can become selfless.

I have witnessed a lot of people choosing to have a selfless mentality over the past week. I have seen people only purchasing what they need. If there were twelve on the shelf, they only purchased two. This may not seem big to you, but choosing to get only what they need could have made the difference for the customer who was not able to come shopping as early. I have seen strangers come together and help each other during this time. These simple acts show the concern and compassion for their fellow man. Givers are always thinking about ways they can help others. Right now, we need more selfless people. We need more people who are willing to help others and their community.

You may be thinking that in a time like this, you do not have anything to give. This may be true from a financial standpoint, but there are ways out there even in this environment to be a giver. Be selfless and give of your time. You may have someone who is elderly in your family. Check on them and see if there is anything you can do for them. Be willing to go grocery shopping for them. That way they are less exposed to the environment. If you come across a need that you are able to meet without going against the current guidelines, meet it. Be willing to share new ways and concepts of doing things. These ideas are valuable. A lot of people are going through tough times right now and are having to make adjustments. If you have an open heart and an open mind, opportunities for you to give will come your way. It does not matter if it seems small to you. Just do it. And the most important thing, do it without expecting anything in return and without posting it on social media. Sometimes posting and talking about those moments can immediately turn a selfless act into a selfish one. Even though you gave, you turned around and took something away from them. 

During times like this, it is easy to hit the panic button and only think about yourself. But remember, you live in a community. At some point in your life, you will need the help of someone else. We must help each other. And yes, if you have a selfish or a taker’s mindset, you can change. It may be something small as choosing to purchase only what you need. That may not seem huge, but it’s a start. It’s a step in the right direction. We may be told to keep our distance from each other, but that doesn’t mean we cannot keep each other close. I just want to encourage you to remember the people around you during this time. Let us all become givers. Being selfless will allow us to make it through this together.