Rising Above the Current Environment
President Bush subtly slipped an Altoid to former First Lady Michelle Obama at John McCain’s Funeral in September 2018.
“You can’t understand how someone feels unless you look them in the eye and understand their heart.”
Sitting on stage at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, California during the Turner Foundation’s 2019 Legacy Event, President Bush talked about the lack of empathy between people when they communicate from behind a screen. He left audience members with food for thought, stating, “It’s easy to stay in your own tribe on the internet. You can’t understand how someone feels unless you look them in the eye and understand their heart. When sharing this advice, he was referring to the time when he “trended” on social media back in 2018.
The heartfelt moment that captured global attention occurred during John McCain’s funeral in August 2018. Tensions were high as all sitting presidents were present, except for one. With President Trump not being invited to attend, the world watched to see what would unfold next.
As the funeral processions began, and the nation’s dignitaries sat side-by-side in silence, cameras captured former President Bush subtly slipping an Altoid to former First Lady Michelle Obama. Intentional or not, President Bush broke the stress and tension of that day with one simple act of kindness.
To him, it was just a friendly gesture. To the rest of the world, it was heroic.
So what does this say about our nation's current social climate? President Bush explained that when his daughter notified him that he was “trending” online because he shared an Altoid with Michelle Obama, he realized that the American people are starved for others to rise above the current environment.
With politics, world events, and the latest natural disasters demanding our attention at every turn, it is easy to get swept up in our differences -- we can look to categorize anyone we cross paths with as either “one of us” or “one of them.” And with the added physical isolation in light of COVID-19, fear and separation can become all-consuming.
But former President Bush’s words ring true, now more than ever: “You can't understand how someone feels unless you look them in the eye and understand their heart.”
When we give grace to ourselves and others by taking a moment to breathe, observe, and interact with the people in our communities, we can see the best that humanity has to offer. The young woman who offers to buy groceries for her elderly neighbor who is too afraid to leave their home; the bystanders who collectively stand up for the rights of a stranger getting harassed; the organizations that step up during difficult times to mobilize others into action.
And this happens every day online as well. From Andrea Bocelli’s powerful, “Music for Hope” performance at the Duomo di Milano on Easter Sunday, to our very own Dean Wilson’s new talk show, Good Life TV, we can see numerous examples of people using social media to promote love, connection, and hope.
But the best thing about all of this is that you don’t have to be a famous Italian opera singer to make a positive impact on the world! We all have the power to spread love and joy to everyone we cross paths with, whether it be in person or online. When we decide to set aside our differences and focus on spreading kindness with each interaction and with each person we talk to, we have the power to transform our communities for the better.
It all starts with one simple act of kindness. Who will you share an Altoid with today?