Don’t Fight Back…Fight For

By Steve Gwisdalla ([email protected])

My friends, here in the Tribe of Up, we advocate for more joy. We don’t waste time yelling at the rain because of the puddles it makes. We simply choose not to play with those who wish to divide and polarize topics, ideals, and people. Please do not think for a single second that I am some cream puff pacifist who will get steamrolled by someone shouting their ideals and who brings the encroaching darkness with them. I will not fight them and their darkness. Rather, I will fight for the light. I will fight for the ideals of kindness, help, and decency. Choosing to not fight against something doesn’t mean you aren’t fighting. I choose to fight for what I believe in.

 Some may throw the word ‘semantics’ around, but I disagree. Stick around and let me see if I can convince you.

Fighting against something means you are fighting on their terms, not yours. Their agenda, their talking points, their crowd behind them. No thank you. Rather, I will be in my community helping those that need it. The Tribe of Up will be shining lights in the darkness, helping others find their own lights to eliminate the darkness entirely. Then we will help other communities, and then others after that. Do you want to rail on about politics? Knock yourself out. You want to promote atheism? I will live my Christian faith.

See where I am going here?

Passion convinces. Belief inspires. Arguing against someone who I disagree with and screaming at the top of my lungs against someone screaming at the top of theirs is a fool’s errand. People seeing my passion about things I hold dear will inspire and promote goodness. I will donate my time to sit on the board of an organization whose sole mission is to raise money for teacher grants in my community. Helping the young people and the teachers in charge of them improve their educational experience is something for which I have fought. Donating food, clothing, and time to an organization like Faith in Action to help those less fortunate in our communities is something to fight for. Helping a neighbor, holding open a door, letting someone merge in front of me during rush hour? Yes please. Kindness. Up. Joy. I fight for those.

What are those things you are most passionate about? Now ask yourself this question. Who is that passion serving? You or others? My friends find those things that help others and claw, scratch, and fight for those things. We are the Tribe of Up, not the Tribe of Shouting.  Wanna yell about stuff where your passion emboldens only you? No thank you. Do you want to talk about the Twenty-two thousand dollars in teacher grants we voted on and approved last week in our Educational Foundation of Dexter board meeting? That passion helps literally thousands.  That is the compass I use to ensure its needle is pointing to true north. Fight for others. Leave the yelling to the talking heads on your turned off television. Enjoy the silence and find your passion for others.

Have a comment or article idea? Reach out at [email protected].