I'm just gonna say it... I love Jerry Seinfeld. There.
Okay, that isn't exactly a secret to anyone that knows me, but I figure everyone should get an insight. Growing up when the show was on air, we were not allowed to watch it. My parents were very much against it. And for obvious reasons. It has a lot of adult content that was pushing boundaries like the typical 90's shows were doing at the time. Why? Because sex sells. Once the re-runs came on, my parents found out that it was actually quite hilarious. We were older and therefore, my parents enjoyed watching it. I became a fan. Then we found his stand up. Ah, stand up. Recently I had the opportunity to watch one of my DVD's of Jerry Seinfeld stand up. It is classic gold. At one point he discusses the use of a helmet. He admits that we have been engaging in reckless activities as a human race. Rather than stopping our activities, we simply cover our heads in plastic and hope for the best. It does make you think for a moment... Why do we continue with the helmet and risky behavior? We'll get to that. Within a twelve hour time frame, I have opened up the packaging of two allergy nasal sprays (not both for me, just one). The first time I was searching for the perforated lines on the plastic and was able to rip the seal apart with little trouble. The second time, not so much. I first searched and couldn't find those perforated lines. So I began to pull a bit around each part of the top hoping something would give. Nothing. I finally found along the bottom, where I couldn't get to, the actual lines to tear. I followed it up the top and began again. A sliver here. A patch there. And then it hits me. All around the seal reads the words we've grown accustomed to, "Sealed for your protection." We live in a world where people would take medications and steal a few pills, spit in the bottle, and who knows what else. Because of all the mayhem of humans, companies continually seal bottles for our protection. Condiments might be the worst or it, but after the ice cream licking incident of 2019, I think we're all a little happier that it takes longer to pour our maple syrup on our waffles. This morning I got to thinking about those seals, but more so the words that lined them. "Sealed for your protection." Those words are there not to make us feel safe, but the manufacturers. I began to wonder how many people called manufacturers complaining about that seal. "I can't get my medicine." "Why is the ketchup locked up tighter than the prison up the street?" "Are you trying to make things difficult?" I have no doubt in my mind that people are so agitated by that seal that they cause an issue with the company. Why? We are so selfish and entitled that we need to be told by manufacturers that the seal is for OUR protection. We need a reminder that there are ice cream lickers and thieves. We need a few words typed over every square centimeter saying that it is for our own good. We don't often look at inconveniences as for our own good. We don't look at a delay in time as keeping us from an accident. We don't consider when something isn't available in store anymore that it's for our own good, be it financially, socially, physically, or emotionally. God's hand of protection doesn't always look like what we want. But in our lives, we live in entitlement. We want to keep on doing things our way and get the response we want when we want it how we want it. No questions asked. If I were to ask you to think of some time you have been inconvenienced by another's entitlement, I'm sure you could pick five. You might even say something like, "Ugh, Millenials" when you envision those times. Then I would have to ask you, how many times were you the entitled one? Those times may not stick out in our memory as much because we don't like knowing our faults. Over the last few months I have tried to see the times and ways that I have been living in a world of entitlement. It isn't pretty. Traffic sucks, but it sucks for the person next to you just as much as it sucks for you. Waiting in line can be annoying, but are you always swift in a line? We are so upset about fighting plastic in the search for perforated ease that we need a reminder that it is for our protection, like a helmet during a bungee jump. I look forward to the days of heaven when we aren't focused on ourselves anymore. I'd be lying if I told you I walk around putting everyone before myself. Won't it be nice when your needs are above mine? Honestly, I just want to leave this agitation behind when people haven't lived up to my expectations and desires. Being selfish sucks. It sucks the life out of all of us. One day, things will be better. One day.
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May 2023
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