Who's World Is This?

#BaxtersBuzz
I'm starting this week with an edge. Fussing at kids...I mean holding them accountable. They skate by at times, but wifey and I are getting better. More consistent. They absolutely need more attention from us, but that doesn't mean just more tickle monster chases (I'll admit, I enjoy that too). Many times it means doing what you say you're going to do. Whether it's following through, dealing with the negative consequences of their behavior, or taking them for that walk that you promised once you finished that 11am conference call. They need our consistent presence. No getting around it.

Song of the Day - "The World Is Yours" by Nas. It was one of the of his perfectly composed contributions to his classic album, Illmatic, released, on April 19, 1994. The production on this track was dark and airy, creating a juxtaposition between the title, and quite frankly, almost everything else about the song. The World Is Yours wasn't so much trying to communicate despair though. It was just taking you through the number of thoughts that a young black male may have on a given day.

He starts the song with, "I sip the Dom P, watchin' Gandhi 'til I'm charged, then writin' in my book of rhymes, all the words past the margin". Imagine an 18 year old sipping champagne and watching Gandhi. That provides quite the visual, right? But it inspires him to write. So much so that he writes, "all the words past the margin". As a creative thinker, you never know what will inspire a thought. Nas talks about being "caught in the devil's lasso" and how a black cloud over him is making it too dark for him to see tomorrow. If people took the time to pay attention, they would realize that there are many people who feel a sense of hopelessness in their present circumstances. That was prior to this coronavirus outbreak...but even more so now.

But I Called You Last Time - We all FEEL, but maybe have a tough time trying to articulate those feelings. The stress of what's happening in our world doesn't always inspire us to create. Most of time, it weighs on us, telling us to stop whatever we're doing and not push ahead. It tells us to isolate. To lash out at our loved ones. It may even tell us to harm others and even ourselves.
Check on your folks that you haven't heard from. Even if you were the last one to reach out (I know, it gets annoying but now isn't the time to keep score). The world can be cold, but life is amazing! If you're reading this right now, YOU have the opportunity to change someone's day for the better. You have an opportunity to be the friend that you've always wanted to have. You have the opportunity to put your ego aside and collaborate with a group in order to achieve results that you wouldn't be able to achieve alone. What would you like to see more of in the world? Great, now go and contribute those things!

Read more. Learn more. Change the globe.