Today I am going to blatantly break the rules...

Even if it means I get a lashing from an irate Aussie!

So, if you know me you will be patently aware that I am an avid follower and supporter of the weekend engagement posting initiative hosted by the fabulous antipodean Mr galenkp esquire.

Each weekend he offers some truly thought provoking, funny or downright profound posting topics to whet the appetite of those seeking a little more engagement or just wanting a flash of inspiration as to what to write about at a traditionally quieter time on the blockchain... The weekend.

My weekend was chaotic, to say the least, after finishing my final night shift, the little time I looked forward to when I could have some 'Ste time' and commit some thoughts to the page was ripped away from me quite unceremoniously.

My beloved offspring decided to have simultaneous crises and needed Mum and Dad for vast swathes of our precious time off work. Like most parents we offer up that time freely and in fact, gladly, the fact remains though, time away from work is fleeting at the best of times.

A pre-booked appointment at the local tip (pre-booking has been compulsory since the outbreak of Covid and shows no sign of changing anytime soon) needed to be honoured, and was an utter farce, our interactions with a 'jobsworth' while there, made a seemingly simple Sunday excursion in to quite the ordeal.

I found out at the last moment that it was necessary, make that essential, to make some time to update my C.V/résumé, (more on this very soon), yet another complication to melt away my all too brief weekend away from work.

So finally at around 7PM, I had a short window to write... Yup! Of course my broadband crashed!!!

As usual, the setup to my post takes longer than the actual content that I want to discuss, yeah, I know... You wouldn't expect anything less.

Long story short, which is a promise I am hardly likely to live up to anytime soon, I woke up for work this morning lamenting the fact that I missed the closing time for the weekend posting imitative. This was particularly annoying as one of this weeks prompts resonated with me massively. Gaaahhh!!!

However when I arrived home 13 hours later, I had a flash of inspiration. Ignore the bloody rules Steven!!! Closing times are for mere mortals, not those gifted with just a hint of omnipotence like yourself, right? RIGHT!

So here I am 'rulebreaker extraordinaire', risking the very wrath of Mr Weekend himself, answering his prompt way, way after the deadline.

Below is the prompt that spoke to me that I wanted to share my thoughts on. Rest assured about how long this missive could possibly go on for, when I tell you the intro to the post, is longer than the topic I am supposed to be discussing, I kid you not.

I want to change society...

If you could change one thing about society, other than politically, what would you change and why? What would that change mean to you or others now and in the future, how would it impact life and do you feel it would be a lasting change?

Who could resist answering that, right?

My answer is a simple one. It doesn't require fluff, filler and dozens of examples and I am sure that once I lay it out, you couldn't fail to agree with it's core premise.

If I could embed one thing in to the very DNA of every person on the planet it would be a greater sense of connection to every other person living on it.

I wish with that this quality could become the over-riding principle guiding the life of every member of the human race. Imagine a world in which every person had, not just self interest as it's prime directive but shared interest.

I have long since believed in the premise of global consciousness, the main tenet of which is that every living thing on the planet is connected by an unseen thread. The main objection to this belief is that, well, simply put, we don't act that way and too many people do evil, bad or even just indifferent, apathetic things that demonstrate a basic, some would say blatant disregard of others.

Here's my answer, in response. This may well be the closest you ever witness me straying in to seemingly, esoteric territory, but bear with me. I believe such a connection could be dulled, for want of a better word or become a far less efficient, organic, automatic process.

We've all heard the saying 'Use it or lose it', right?

Pessimism, being cynical or looking for ulterior motive in the actions of others could, if such a 'super-power' existed, undermine the way this 'connection frequency' worked. If you don't believe in miracles or magic, you're never going to witness it, are you?

Imagine the effect a principle like capitalism might have on such an archaic and inherent love and connection to every soul we share the planet with?

How many Hitler's do you imagine mankind could bear without losing all capacity to view everybody else as beautiful, infinite and magnificent?

Just take a moment to imagine some of the barbarism we see at play in the world today, neighbour turned against neighbour, nation against nation, people feeling wholly capable and indeed, justified in placing a bullet in to the flesh of the entity opposite who believe something intrinsically different to their own most important beliefs.

What if such people due to an inherent sense of kinship deep within saw only connection, a life, someone who when all comes to all, is just like them?

What if ideological differences, spiritual beliefs, skin colour, economic situation, caste, creed could all be transcended by this all-encompassing, guiding principle that we all more alike than we are different?

This blue and green orb we call home would be instantly transformed in to something that the majority of us can not even imagine.

I often write about concepts like this, that discuss a sense of belonging, connection and love that permeates through the heart of every person where others are concerned. I have a confession, often, I reach the end and feel a little naïve, foolish even, as I contemplate what others must think as they read what I have to say.

Maybe some people imagine a blissed up zen-like dude sitting on a mountain-top, trying to tap in to the magical frequency of Mother Earth.

Nope, that's not who Steven Wood is! I'll tell you something though.

I overcome those feelings when I realise that I would rather be any of those things and have, even a modicum of belief that we are capable of being so much better as a species than one of those who say:

Nah, why bother? Everybody is just out to screw you over anyway...

I'd rather be a gullible idiot than resigned to accepting just how futile trying to be better is.

What if enough of us believed in this connection, isn't that something to ponder?

Thank YOU for taking the time to read my post and if you're one of those amazing people who like to hit the comments section... Then I doubly thank YOU!

Either way I want you to know that you are appreciated!

Keep taking the time to connect with each-other both here and in the 'so-called' real world and try and look after each-other, because as you already know...

I am an incredibly proud member of #TeamUK I love the global community immensely, but it is nice to have a home-team banner to add to my posts. The banner was made by the inimitable RoastMaster General himself @c0ff33a If you are an active UK member and would like to be added to the teamUK community on Discord, just let me know 😎