Twit-Gusted!

Those that follow my Twitter account closely may have noticed I dropped off twitter for a bit. Before I disappeared, I stopped thanking people publicly for re-postings/"retweets" (RTs), follow recommendations (FF), and mentions of my user-name in general.

While I still believe it's polite to thank someone when they recommend me, send greetings my way and sharing (RT) one of my posts that they liked, I came to realize that people like to see their user-name mentioned publicly on Twitter - including me. In order to perpetuate the mention of their user-name, some would re-post anything containing their user-name, including posts where I thanked a group of people.

This produced multiple copies of the same list, as one person would re-post it and others would re-post the re-postings, and so on. Soon my inbox was inundated with more nonsense re-posts than there were tribbles on the Enterprise!

All this is simply because people enjoy stroking their own and each other's egos. No useful information, inspiration, motivation, conversation or humor are in those posts, just repeated strings of usernames for the sake of seeing your name again and again.

It disgusted me when I realized what it was. Not only when I saw people do this earnestly every day, but also because I kept adding fuel to it when I continued to thank them publicly. I was also shamed because I also took delight in getting my ego stroked too as I jumped into the mutual masturbation circle.

I started to thank people privately through direct messages (DM's) on twitter and will probably continue to do so. But I had to take a step away from twitter - in disgust and shame.

How easy it was to start to love the feeling that welled within me when I saw my name mentioned, when I basked in the glow of recognition, and when I let that feeling steer me away from what I want to do with the tool twitter provides.

- ESA

Public Praise - Hidden Gems

One of the things I've discovered about myself recently. If I do some good in this world, something whispers in my head that I should sing about it. There are several acts of kindness I may do throughout the day, some just small little things. Even as I write this, I'm tempted to start listing them. I even had it typed out and deleted them.

I get the impression that I should tweet about it on Twitter; that it will be a good example to others. I get the urge that I should make a video about each of the good works I do and show people how they too can help. I'm led to believe that I should blog about it, illuminating the path others could take and made this world a better place.

I will tell you why I really should NOT and - to the level best that I can achieve in my imperfect life - do not.

When one does a good work and then publically sings, displays, exhibits, demonstrates or otherwise publicizes the good work, they will get public recognition. People will join in singing their praises and mimic their works in the attempt to get a piece of that spotlight. Many will likewise do the same and get some of the star-sparkle glittering on their names as well.

But in my life, it's not the spotlight nor the star-sparkle I seek. Those are things that are not-only short lived, they are only external - of this outside world. The spotlight does not illuminate that which is within the person, just the outside face they show to the world. I seek a greater Light to illuminate my works.

When we do good works in this world, it builds something beautiful beyond words within us. But when we use such good works as a lure of the spotlight, it's like letting the air out of a tire - it deflates us. We are sparkling in the spotlight for a short time and left deflated for a much greater period of time...

Further, I will NOT buy into the belief that if one does not know my works, I will not be a good example to others. In fact, the opposite is true, one's acts shine with their own brilliance. If we seek the public spotlight, we exhibit the wrong desire and are a poor example.

Those that do things "hidden" or in small unrecognized ways, already know that their works shine. It's seen in the sparkle of the tearful eyes of one benefiting from the kindness, in the emotional tremor of a quietly spoken "thank you" or in the inner warmth one receives when they do some good and none but God knows it was by their hand.

These hidden gems are the ones that people see and realize - THIS IS A GOOD THING - without a word being spoken or a camera filming it. These shine on their own and its by their light that the true example is shown. This is a far more beautiful thing than can ever be found in this world. Hidden in the clasp of a loving hand in a lonely one, in the smile of a stranger's face, in the little act that makes someone's life a bit more easier to bear...

Where can you plant hidden gems?
Let their light shine!
Brightly.

-ESA