Well, good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, depending on when and where you're tuning in. This is episode 99 of the Blue Collar Executive Podcast, and I'm your host, Lewis Taulbee Jr.
Episode 99. Holy Macaroni, Batman. I never thought we would make it here. I've had this Coca-Cola and this moon pie sitting on my desk since I started doing this a few years back. I promised myself I wouldn't touch it until episode 100, so we are one episode away from enjoying that, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. I got something pretty heavy on my heart this morning. Let's go.
Last week, I was in New York City. I love that town. I don't even really know what it is, but there's just an energy in the air. I spend my days taking care of business, and then I walk around Central Park until dark, and then I wander around under the bright lights all night. And being a noticer of sorts, I guess I observed some things that most people don't. As I walked around the city through Midtown, the neighborhoods and the parks, I felt like The Big Apple was the loneliest place on Earth. Certainly, not in a population perspective, but in an empty soul kind of way.
Now, of course, I'm not talking about the tourists that are littering the streets, going to see the Broadway shows and taking in the city's magic. I'm talking about the locals, the New Yorkers, the people that are part of the everyday hustle and bustle. They just looked worn from the grind. I could see it in many of their eyes. It felt like they were just tired of the politics, the crime, the lewdness. I don't really know how to explain it. I guess you know how it is when you're fighting with your spouse, you can always force a smile to greet people, but you still feel that heaviness in your heart. Well, I saw that heaviness on so many of these New Yorkers. As always, they were kind and gracious, but I could just feel or see it on them.
I typically spend a lot of time speaking with the homeless because I see this same thing on many of them. But this trip was different. It wasn't limited to the homeless. It was like a blanket over the city, and I get it. We're in the middle of a presidential election and you have Fox News on one side preaching their views while CNN's on the other side preaching theirs, and all the crime and fighting in the streets, and these poor people have to walk through this every day. I think anyone would just be worn out and done with it.
Here's the kicker, though, the solution is very simple. We just need to get back to loving one another. As a society, we have allowed our political views, competitiveness, and difference of opinions to divide us. Look, every single one of us is different. Some of us love mustard and some of us despise it. There's not two of us that are exactly alike, nor are there any two of us that would agree 100% on every single thing. That's what makes it a great world. However, we cannot allow our hearts to be hardened because of these differences.
The instructions book for life mentions love 551 times. I think that means it's pretty significant. Jesus said, "Love is the most important commandment we can follow," because if we have love in our hearts, we can't break any of the other commandments. If we love one another, truly love one another, we will always extend a helping hand to others in need. No matter their views or differences, love is more powerful than anything we could possibly argue about, so just agree to disagree and keep the love light burning.
Remember the story Jesus told about the guy that got beaten, robbed by the thugs on the street? He was stripped naked and left on the side of the road to die, and as people passed by, they went to the other side of the road and just looked at him. Now, I'm sure many of them were Christians and we know what they were saying. "Don't worry, buddy. I'll pray for you." Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a believer in the power of prayer and it is very important, but do you think maybe, just maybe when they were praying, God was saying, "Why are you not doing anything? Why don't you shut up and serve? Why don't you go help that poor bleeding guy?"
That's how I feel when I'm walking around the streets and I see someone struggling, I'm compelled to put my hand on their back and say, "How can I help you?" That's just the way I was raised. If my dad saw me drive around somebody that was broke down on the side of the road, he would turn over in his grave. It doesn't matter where I'm going or how late I would be for an appointment. If someone needs help, I'm not going to drive around or step over them.
There are 8.3 million people living in New York. 500,000 tourists go through Times Square every day. How incredible would it be if every one of them sat down their weapons, dropped their shields, and just showed love to one another? Just in that city alone, think of the impact. Doesn't matter your race, gender, beliefs, we are all one race, the human race, we're all in this together and not a single one of us is going to get out of it alive. So why are we fighting?
And look, New York City is no different than any place on Earth. It's just more recognizable because the enormous density of the people in one area. This is a global issue. I see it in the eyes of people everywhere I go, even to the grocery store here in my little country town. We need to stop. This world is heading to hell in a hand basket. We have more stress, anxiety, depression, and disease in this world now than ever before. And the root of it all is the absence of love, and the cure is love.
I know none of us can help everybody, but we can all help somebody and it won't cost you a penny. It won't interfere with your crazy busy life. All we have to do is love one another. Not just say it, but we need to shut up and show it.
Edward Everett Hale wrote, "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." Friends, none of us have the power to flip a switch and brighten everyone's life, but we all have enough light in us to help those whose candles are dim. And if each of us will just take the time and allow our busy schedules to be interrupted when we see someone in a dark place, this whole world will be a much brighter place, brighter than the lights on Times Square.
And with that, I'll conclude another episode of the Blue Collar Executive Podcast. I hope you found some value in it, or at the very least, found it entertaining. May your love light burn brightly for those around you. And hey, I love you, and I thank you so much for listening.
