Have you ever seen a 46 year old have a tantrum? Tears falling, snots streaming, nerves frayed, brain pounding...
It looks something like this, except not as pretty. It's SO much more ugly.
So, I'm here to tell you, I am... I guess... "leading" this challenge for October. And the first thing you should do is refuse to follow my example. Cuz me? I'm just a mere, ridiculous human. And humans have this tendency to put themselves first. Remember last week when I told you that I couldn't help when mediating two dear friends, because they also couldn't get past themselves? Well, is it any wonder when their mediator struggles with the same thing?
Now, before you think, "Allllllllllllright, Dreem - let's not let this descend into a pity party, shall we? Can we curtail the dramatics?" Let me agree with you. 100%. Let me not use another word of this post to focus on me. Let's focus on the animal kingdom.
I'm gonna just take a stab and say - YOU ARE almost certainly LIKE THE CRAB. Why? Because you are human, and humans have that "crabs in a bucket mentality". But, I am also going to extend an olive branch to you. Ready for it? WHO DO YOU WANT to be? If you have a choice, and you do... who would you RATHER emulate? The crab - or the ant?
For those of you who aren't familiar with the "crabs in a bucket" phrase, it relates to this scenario: When crabs are caught, and placed into a bucket together, they are cutthroat. One by one, a crab will try to escape that bucket and make an attempt at freedom. And what do the other crabs do? Do they cheer their fellow crab on? Push their peer over the edge to start life anew outside of the cage that has trapped the rest? No. Those crabs will grab hold of the leg of the one "about to get away" and drag him back down with the rest. Why? I can't begin to explain the mind of a crab - this is just the action that I can perceive. But I can observe the SAME type of behavior that humans display - and the reason is clear: Misery loves company. "If I can't have it, you can't have it." The heart of that is selfishness, envy, and jealousy. Me first. ME. FIRST.
Now, I'd like you to just go take a look at this amazing video courtesy of Matthew Lutz, Princeton University, and Chris Reid, University of Sydney.
Whew. Let's just soak this in for a moment, in all its beauty and glory. Here is the thing that I take away from this. Not the ingenuity of the ant - or the bravery of the ant. I mean - ONE ant had to be the first to attempt to bridge that gap. And really - that is brave, but I think maybe that was not even the bravest ant! hahaha Think about the ants that are in the MIDDLE holding onto NOTHING but the bodies of their ant bridge fellows, and hoping that they keep that hold! No, let's not even talk about that. Let me just focus on one thing for now.
If you notice, the ants on one side crawl over to the other side using the bridge. But that bridge doesn't move. The ants that make up that bridge are not "getting to safety". They aren't going to eat food, or move to a new location - no. Their job - is to be the bridge. They are NOT thinking "me first". They are thinking "YOU FIRST", and they are laser-focused in UNITY on that premise.
Is that what "you first" really looks like?
Is THAT what you're asking us to do for this October challenge, Dreem?
To literally be a bridge?
To stand in the gap?
To offer ourselves?
To find ways to put others first?
How are we going to really, truly, HONESTLY #speekpeece if we are so focused on dragging others back down to where we are, in animosity? I had a great conversation with 
lamb crab at a time.
Ok. I seriously did not PLAN on doing this. I completely 100% was writing this post with the purest intent on announcing the community that we were going to in October. And I promise - PROMISE! PINKY SWEAR, that tomorrow I'm going to! But the reason why I didn't do it yet is for two reasons:
Because the more I talk about this - the more I realize that this is NOT just for THAT community. This is really an open invitation to anyone who is feeling this call and tug on their hearts to make a conscious effort to round this corner together, and make a decision to STOP speaking antagonistically - and start to #speekpeece, and
I feel like this challenge is specifically geared towards this community BECAUSE of all of the struggles surrounding its members at this time. (told to me BY the members) But I'm a tiny bit worried that there will be some misconception that this is an exclusive challenge for that community as soon as I announce.
But let me just tell you - this challenge is for all. If you have been gearing up for it, I want to assure you that you should continue to see yourself in it. You have a place in this challenge and I hope that when you complete the challenge in October, you've gone through it with a group of dreemers that can say they've shared a similar experience. More than that, I hope that you are part of a group of dreemers that want to take it BEYOND October and continue to grow, change, and affect the world around you for unity and peace.
In order to have Unity, I have to start putting U first ❤️
That's all for tonight my friends.
@shadowspub, 
@bluefinstudios, 
@kenechukwu97, 
@kemmyb, 
@jamerussell, 
@mypathtofire, and 
@dreemsteem for making the 
@dreemport voting power go farther! ❤️
All images were used from sources that allow their beautiful work to be displayed on commercial blogs. They do not require attribution, but I do so willingly so allow my readers to know that I write and blog with integrity ❤️ Also, their work is beautiful! Just because they don't ask for acknowledgement, doesn't mean I shouldn't give it! Thank you photographers!
gif by tenor
crabs by apichon_tee
me first by ivector
