Undivided Footprints

Well hey there, folks!

Happy Monday! Happy new week! Happy almost end of March!

Isn’t it crazy how fast the time is going? Before we know, it’s going to be Easter, Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then 2022!

Like…wow.

Insane.

Anyhoo, I digress.

I’m currently sitting on my bed, wrapped in a blanket with The Golden Girls playing in the background.

Sounds about right for Mr. Sunshine on a Sunday night, right?

Well, actually…every night really.

And as I sit here writing, I’m listening to the song “Undivided” on repeat. It is a newer song that I have my friend Marissa to thank for introducing me to it.

It is a short little ballad, but one that packs quite the punch with its lyrics. It is sung by Country artists Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard.

And even though I’ve listened to it about a million gazillion times, I still get chills each time I listen.

Chills.

The lyrics are ones that continue to be extremely relevant to all that is happening in the world around us.

And after a week where we saw news stories about shootings in Atlanta targeted at Asian Americans, it is a song that poses the question to each and every one of us about when we are going to stop hating.

And anyone who knows me knows that I do not like the word hate. In fact, it is something that I wrote as one of my “fun facts” in the “About Mr. Sunshine” section of this very blog page.

“I don’t like the word “hate” and will often try to substitute with the phrase “dislike very much.” If you ever catch me saying the word “hate” in my writing or live conversation, please call me out and make me give you a dollar.”

But in all seriousness…

Are you able to answer the question that Tim and Tyler ask us in the song?

When are we going to start to see from someone else’s eyes?

When are we going to stop the hating?

When are we going to start making a difference and making the world a better place?

Every single day, when I wake up in the morning, I think about how I can work to make a difference in the world that surrounds me on the daily.

And every single day, when I read or hear about a story of violence, racism, hatred, or whatever type of darkness it might be, I become even more infuriated.

But I also become even more passionate about making a difference in the world.

As I continue to live out my 33rd year of life on this Earth, I truly believe with even more of a strong conviction that God put me on this planet to make positive change while working to inspire others to do the same.

I am Mr. Sunshine. Hear me ROAR.

I don’t have the latest and greatest “stuff.”

I don’t live in the biggest house.

I don’t drive the fanciest car.

I don’t have a lot of money in the accounts.

I don’t find joy in spending money on all the “stuff.”

You can say that I’m someone who finds MORE with LESS.

I work hard each day with what I have to make positive change for others in this world that are struggling no matter what their story.

I work hard to try and inspire others to do the same through an energy that many of you have come to know as Mr. Sunshine.

How are you working to make positive change in this world?

How are you working to keep trails of undivided footprints for others to follow?

Are these questions that you have ever taken a few moments of your life to try and answer?

We all have the ability to make positive change in the world to lift others up.

Our world needs our light.

Our world world needs our kindness.

Our world needs our love.

Our world needs us all to make undivided footprints against hate, violence, racism, or whatever other type of darkness tries to engulf our lives and diminish the fire of passion that we have inside our souls.

Stop waiting.

Stop wondering “what if.”

Go and do.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!