HELLO MI NEIGHBOUR | The secret to commanding great blessings

Hello mi neighbour! How may times have you heard the saying, “People are people and people will always be people”? Many things may change about us, but as long as time shall last, you will always be you and I will always be me – can’t switch places. But why can’t we be one another? God made it so. Full stop.

Even as fingerprints are permanently individualised, there are no two personalities that are ever the same (even in the cases of conjoined twins). As you try to untangle that thought, let me proceed. Despite our many similarities and resemblances, we all have our personal uniqueness. And we can impersonate one another until wi black and blue. You will always be you, despite whatever you might become in life. Though we may hang out together, listen to the same genre of music, watch the same plays, use the same diction and have the same addictions, our personalities will always differ and sometimes clash, and crash into each other! Each personality is moulded over time through life’s experiences: every success or failure, every moment of strength or weakness, every ounce of knowledge and wisdom we acquire, help with our formation and how to respond to life’s experiences/expectations. Your personality is uniquely yours.

Our attitude is usually formed by how people, places and things affect us emotionally, unless we make a concerted effort to resist the impact an emotional experience could have on our lives. Our experiences have the greatest influence in the shaping us. Negative experiences tend to make people become anxious and defensive when faced with the prospect of those experiences repeating themselves. Careful though: Certain negative experiences often leave us wiser and better able to make good decisions which lead to positive outcomes. Come on now!

No one else in the world can see the world exactly as you do because no one else has lived your 365 days a year. No one else has experienced life in the same way that you have. That’s why it’s so important to be open to other people’s opinions and ideas without necessarily accepting them as right or wrong. An exchange of ideas with the right person on your perceptions of the world can unlock realisation and wisdom. Listen to others and share your own perspectives and opinions. You never know who you might help.

Though we can find common ground with other people on what constitutes quality or beauty, our tastes are largely a unique facet of our personality. A person’s tastes will influence many of their choices in life: what they eat, their choice of relationship, etc. Exploring the different tastes of the world expands one’s horizons and helps with the development of the person without embracing the taste of others necessarily. Be careful.

Your goals be it short, medium, and long-term generally guide how you spend your time, energy, and effort. If you see someone just floating along, quite likely they have no goal. Sad. The things that you do for fun tell a lot about you even though they don’t necessarily define you. All of these things say something about you as a unique individual, your values, and how you seek happiness or meaning in life.

Passions can provide much-needed direction towards a goal or experience that will allow us to leave our own unique mark on the world. Understanding and maintaining your passions can help you find a direct, distinct path that is guided by your values and unique perception of the world. Stoke those flames from time to time, so they continue to burn and illuminate your path.

At the risk of contradicting myself, here is where we can achieve sameness: love your neighbour as yourself and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Obey this God-handed-down command and you will command great blessings!

WE ASK YOU AGAIN TO HELP US HELP A NEIGHBOUR WITH ITEMS BELOW:

1. Stove, bed, mattress, building materials, sewing machine, table, chairs, second-hand settee, etc.

To help, please call Silton Townsend at 876 884-3866, or deposit in acct #351 044 276 NCB. Alternatively, send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR C/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; Paypal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. Contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com Mr Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.