When I was young, I lived my life as if I were the center of the universe. Hey, I had at least something with Donald Trump! Other people were “satellites” affecting my life. If someone were to accuse me of this viewpoint, I would have protested; this idea wasn’t logical. But it was real in my subconscious.
But one day on the way to church, I had an epiphany. I was stopped at the intersection of Alpine and East State Street, watching cars turn left in front of me. As I watched each driver curve to the left, I thought of them as a person with relationships and problems just like me. No longer were these anonymous people “satellites,” but rather other planets.
What difference did this make in my life? In those moments I empathized with other people. I considered how my words and actions affected their lives. I endeavored to be kind. In return, I had positive feelings about myself.
Of course, I’m not enlightened every minute of every day, but I try to walk through life aware of others as much as possible.
I use Woke to describe my epiphany. However, this is a word that is thrown around as an insult to liberals. But I live my own definition, and I’m proud of it.
I’m Teresa Wilmot, and that’s my Perspective.
