Complacency

Today in Canada it is Election Day, but unfortunately we’ll be lucky if two thirds of the population votes.  People in Canada as well as many other countries have become complacent while others in the world fight and die for the right to vote.  I think this might be symptomatic of our complacency in general.  

Living in North America, we have things much better than many and so it seems we have become complacent about voting and taking part in the democratic process.  However it goes far beyond politics.  We become complacent with relationships and expect things to continue on their merry way without any work from us.  We live with our spouses but sometimes forget that relationships need work or we may lose them.  As our children grow older and more self sufficient, we become complacent in our parenting.  Once they are out of diapers, can feed and dress themselves, many people become complacent about parenting and don’t put in the extra effort required and dare I say desired by our teenagers.  

We become complacent with the products we buy because we figure we can buy a new one if this one breaks.  We look for quantity over quality because everything is disposable now from Kleenex to computers.  We’ve been complacent for years with the environment we live in, not worrying about the mountains of trash or the scars in the world as we scavenge for fossil fuels.

We also become complacent in our everyday lives.  We work, sleep, eat, shop and take care of our families.  We accept the status quo and live on auto pilot.  

Today and everyday, I encourage you to avoid complacency.  Go out and vote when you have the opportunity.  Don’t take your relationships for granted; work on them and grow them.  Parent your children even when they think they’re too old to listen.  Think and consider alternatives when spending to buy more “stuff” and look for products that don’t add to the environmental problems of the world.  And lastly, but most importantly, work at living the best life you can.  Don’t let another day go by where you live in a state of complacency.  Life is too precious.