Back Alley Lights

Every man dies. Not every man really lives. - William Wallace

There are people around us, not quite like other people. People grown up in the same society as us, in the same existence and reality that we grew up in, but with a different touch to their person. Who are these people? I'm sure you know one. Why are they here? Beats the hell outta me.

In our narcissistic day and age where the general rule of thumb is to keep both hands and feet in the cart and go with the flow, where humans are taught that in a selfish world the selfish prevails, there are still people around us that will light up a room by their presence. People who can turn the darkest alley around and make it shine brightly by their being. Is this a quality these people are born with, or can we regular mortals try and aspire to them?

Back Alley Lights I call them, because in my eyes that is what they are. They take the darkest back alley, the alley tainted by the worlds tough reality and they light it up, a warm smile, a motivating word, a year by their side. What kind of human is it that sacrifices their own well being and comfort to aid or support others expecting nothing in return? In our modern day and age it just doesn't make sense.

So I looked back, recognizing that not only has humanity always been corrupted in their usual way(I already knew this..) but there has always been Back Alley Lights. The virtues of Arthur and the round table teach of humility, compassion, self-sacrifice, honor, courage, valor, justice, and spirituality. All great virtues to inspire to, but 2 strike me as common identifiers of these people. They show a strong sense of compassion, and a strong sense of humility.

Showing compassion in this violent day and age is a shock in itself, we're taught to grow colder as we grow older. A sense of humility is another shock, our world is too narcissistic for people not to take credit when they do something well. Humans happen to do good deeds from time to time, but they kinda lose their charm when they're gloated and bragged about for months after. Like all our good samaritans out there that will donate a $50 during christmas and feel well for a year. It's not all about the money, and if it was: if you can spare $50 after buying presents for your whole family, you can certainly spare them any other time of the year.

I think it's a paragon we should aspire for, to be a Back Alley Light for just one person each day. It can take only 5 minutes to change another persons day completely, just by an encouraging word, a smile, a helping hand. And the action is a reward in itself, brag about it to your friends and their narcissistic minds will translate it into a self-promotation from your side and they will despise you for it(Humans rock, don't they?).

Every man dies, not every man really lives.