If you know me at all, you'll know I have a love for
Smallville. "That old TV show?" you say. Well, yes, that old TV show.
I've watched every episode and re-watched most of them as well. (That Emily
episode, I just couldn't do it. Talk about nightmares)
Well, there is a quote from that show that has stuck with me
for years. I think about it almost every time I'm on Facebook or Instagram. Or every time I want to blog, this quote
comes to mind. It makes me question my purpose, but I think in a good way.
Let me tell you about this quote. In the show, Oliver Queen
has just come out in a press conference and told the world that he is the Green
Arrow. He did this in hopes of getting back his girlfriend, who had left him to
protect his secret. The world has mixed feelings about his announcement, and he
gets a lot of flack for his choice of nighttime activities. The world seemed a
lot more understanding of his 'Play Boy' attitude than of his 'Vigilante' one.
In an interview, the following conversation takes place:
Oliver Queen: I lost someone. She meant everything
to me.
TV Reporter: So, for that you want what, a merit
badge and special rights?
Oliver Queen: No. No, you're right. I'm not
special. This isn't about who I am. It's about what I do. And I don't think I'm
the first rich boy who felt that way. It was John F. Kennedy who once said,
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your
country."
TV Reporter: So now you're comparing yourself to a
fallen hero of this country?
Oliver Queen: Well, why not? He saw the hero in all
of us. I'm not dwelling on revenge of past atrocities or looking from to what I
can personally gain from a few tax breaks, drilling oil wells in the ocean,
putting up razor-wired fences to keep out immigrants who only want what our
grandparents wanted. In this world of armchair bloggers who created a
generation of critics instead of leaders, I'm actually doing something, right
here, right now, for the city, for my country. And I'm not doing it alone.
You're damn right I'm a hero.
I'm not saying we should be an arrow slinging vigilantes.
(Although, I for one, do love archery) But I am trying to say something. I told
you I think about this quote, I think about it a lot. It's our generation to be
out there on social media and to be known and 'Liked' and 'selfie-d' (I made
that up) and just out there. I like that too, I like to be recognized in that
way. But what I want to try to remember to ask myself before I post is, 'are
you being an armchair blogger and a critic?' or, 'are you commenting on this
just to comment, or do you actually have value to add to a discussion?'.
Sometimes I fail in my attempt and make a knee jerk comment or post that I later
cringe at. Sometimes I get defensive in
my conversations instead of just willing to listen.
But I am trying to make the decision to act in this world
instead of just react.
Change is not easy for me. (And I quote: Change fills my
pockets with pennies of uncertainty -Girl Meets World) But I am learning that this world is full of
change daily and I can learn and grow from that. I hope you'll accept me while
I do that.
In my last post, I said that my goal was to be the good in
this world. I want everything I do to add to the good in this world and not
take away from it.
