What to Do When No One Notices

I think there is something in the human soul that needs to fulfill a deep longing.  It's the idea we want to make a difference.  It is something small, maybe.  But it is something that people need.  People need people to care, and notice.

Take for instance this blog post.  It will probably be read by one or two actual people.  The rest will be bots, who will try their best to get me to use their service so that this blog will get more page views.  Look, if I wanted pageviews, I'd be on Facebook, blast it to Twitter, and see if marketing would get me somewhere.  But my worth, and everyone's worth for that matter, is not in pageviews, likes, follows, retweets, subscribes or going viral.  It's in just being.

I came across a comment on a post I wrote nearly five years ago and realized it was still getting views.  Why?  Who cares?  What does it matter?  Why do people still look for the same article?

People are lost.  That's why.  People come to the Internet because there are answers.  Why do you think there are less arguments in bars?  People just google answers, that's why.  People are calling our the people who would talk a good game, and putting them in their place.

But there are some things which the Internet will never, ever fulfill.  If you read this post, do you get that?  No matter how much time you spend watching a video, you still aren't with the actual person.  I'm in my third long distance relationship.  I get what it means to be apart.  Skype and FaceTime are not the answer.  It's being in person with someone, device-free, with no distractions that actually means something.

Are you afraid of silence?  Are you afraid of actually having a conversation with a stranger.  It's just easier like and share.  That speaks, right?

No, it doesn't.  It doesn't get people anywhere.  It's not a real relationship.  My uncle and aunt are thousands of miles away.  Seeing their pictures is nice.  It allows me a temporary comfort to think I am a part of their lives.  I'm not.  My cousins couldn't pick me out of a line-up.  Me seeing their life temporarily doesn't do anything for them. They don't notice.

Do you notice?  Do you see the people around you?  Do you know you have a greater purpose beyond fame, fortune and pleasure? Do you know you were made for greater things?  You were made to have an impact!  Do you know you can?  It's not about notice, it's about purpose.

People do notice.  People will miss you when you are gone.  People want to know you as more than the video with the epic fail, the person who has a cool instagram page and even if you hit the big time and have your own show and have millions of followers, you still have more to offer.  And even when everyone notices, will it still be enough to satisfy?

Probably not. Ever.