Not the Distraction

I plopped down with a large bubbly Diet Coke inside the cool dark theater. You know, the ones where the seats are like recliners. The real reason I pay for a ticket is to get a two hour uninterrupted nap(just kidding...sort of…) The trailers were running and the the “put your cell phones on silent” trailers ran through. After the “turn off your cell phones or else” there was a trailer that reminded the audience that if you had kids that were loud, they needed to be taken out because they would be a DISTRACTION. Now, I get it, when people come to watch a movie, they come to have a bit of a beak, some peace and quiet. I have nothing against being respectful of others, but it got me thinking (again). Here’s where my mind went, so track with me for a moment.

Yes, the quick trailer was about crying babies, but what about other “distractions”? And who determines what is a distraction? And how can something be a distraction to one person and not to another? If we start our process of viewing the world with “what in this world distracts, frustrates, or annoys ME”, I believe we highjack our own life race before we even get off of the starting block.

If you can’t tell, I’m no longer talking about babies in theaters. I’m talking about the idea of how we view people.

My hope is that we, the human race, begin to see PEOPLE not as DISTRACTIONS, but as the FOCUS, the whole point, the REASON.

1. Point of view

In the movie setting, I get that there are layers for context, like, “maybe it’s not a movie quite appropriate for littles” (I know that’s also a subjective statement ). I get that people, in general, enjoy quiet settings and getaways , especially when you’re paying for a ticket to do it.

But here’s my thought: there are going to be times when Elijah is older, not technically a little kid, and he gets super excited about movies!! His excitement sometimes means a loud “YA!!” Or some kind super excited verbal explanation - is he now a distraction? If so, why?

I believe we are capable of changing our preconceived expectations of people in a way that reminds us that PEOPLE, no matter their abilities, are not the DISTRACTION, but the GOAL.

2. With

You see, if we start our process of thinking with how something annoys, bothers, or inconveniences ME, there’s gonna be a pretty darn good chance that when someone doesn’t do something that lines up exactly with how we would do something - we’re gonna be annoyed, bothered, and inconvenienced. HOWEVER- IF we start our process with “how do I serve, help, and be a part of someone else’s story - then when someone doesn’t do something that lines up the way we think it would- we can come along side TO SUPPORT, LOVE, and GROW that person.

For example, if Elijah gets excited and loudly explains in a theater - my first reaction is to GET EXCITED WITH HIM!!! DISTRACTION isn’t even a thought to be thought or to act upon. I’m not frustrated with him, because I’m to busy being excited WITH HIM.

3. The choice

Seems to me we have a choice when it comes to how we see people. We can choose to live our lives in the misery of seeing people as distractions and inconveniences, but that seems like a pretty miserable way to live. I encourage US to see bigger, feel bigger and see people,  no matter their abilities, as the goal, NOT the DISTRACTION.

I can’t force you to see it, I can’t make more rules and advocate for more laws to change an internal point of view. I CAN testify to the nature of going WITH someone, despite differences, in order to build up, encourage and help that person SUCCEED. When we take our eyes off of what bothers us, what “rubs us the wrong way”, what is “not our way”, and we simply start placing value on the people around us - the world begins to change.

Give it a try.

See what happens.