Who cares? You

So often I hear people say that they feel no one cares anymore. I too hold onto that belief more than I would like to admit. It is a powerful belief. It gives me an excuse to lock everyone out and be a recluse. The downsides? I am left with me, myself and I. If you are anything like me, this is torturous.

Why does it matter to us if anyone cares? My guess is that it is deeply rooted in our ability to survive as humans. The group is stronger than the individual. Always! No exceptions, so give up the debate. I fall into the trap that I only care about non-people such as horses, mushrooms and boats (no always in that order). If I am honest, all these ‘cares’ rely on people. For example, I am dependent on the many people who care for the horses who I love so dearly. If they were not involved, there would be no horses in my life.

I care for the mushrooms that I grow. Without others, I would have no market to sell my product. I have a growing number of customers requesting to buy. I care if they enjoy the mushrooms as much as I do.

And as for boats, I do enjoy solo sailing. But as with horses, I do not currently own a boat. I teach sailing in the summer. This gives me access without all the expenses. More importantly, when I share my knowledge and experience with students, they will often express their appreciation to me.

So do I care? Yes. I take a slightly self-centered approach. I care that I avoid projecting my false perception of the world onto others. This is easy to write, but hard to do.

I moved again recently. Home is something I also care about. At my last domicile, I had the opportunity to witness the first five months of the foal, Juliet. I like to believe that we cared about each other. She would always meet me at the fence when I visited her. Since her departure three months ago and now my departure, I think about her often. Does she have a new pal? Has she adjusted to her new environment? Does she have a place to run?

If you are thinking about another, more than likely you care.

If you are in Ottawa, please say hello to Juliet.

Free and paid subscribers receive the same content. Paid is for people who’d like to offer a little extra encouragement. Or you can donate a greater or smaller amount below.