Is it Idealism? Or just what it should be?

Is it no longer normal to have conversations with people who serve your food or ring up your groceries? Is being considerate, kind and hopeful now labeled as "hopeless idealism?" Are general manners now considered "compassion"? Have we treaded so far from the simple idea that all people are human beings who we should treat with love and respect? Is actually taking the time to connect with another person we do not know a new phenomena? 

To me, it's pretty basic. I'm a person, you're a person. If you cut me, I bleed. If I cut you, you bleed. We both cough, sneeze, can catch a flu, have a family, cry, have experienced loss, have life and will someday die. Are we that different?

We walk around in our own little worlds with no intention of interacting with other people. If someone doesn't validate us, we don't talk to them. If someone is different than us, we don't bother. If someone doesn't agree with us, they must be wrong. It makes me very sad. 

I have a long way to go in terms of truly loving people and I fall short everyday. However, I do grow indignant when it seems like the world just assumes that there are no more people out there who do try. I try every single day. Even on my bad days. I try to acknowledge every person I come in contact with-from the coffee shop worker to the gardener outside to the cafeteria ladies. I try. And I don't think I am the only one in the world who does. 

I will never have a deep connection with everyone. It wasn't meant to be that way and it shouldn't be that way cause then the idea of real relationships wouldn't exist. However, no person is an object to me and I acknowledge their humanity, soul, spirit and heart in whatever way I can. That's not great. That's not admirable. That's just how it should be. 

And shame on you if it's not!