Taking that extra step

I noticed some time ago that athletic runners (for the not too short and not too long distance lengths) have a pace when they run and one would figure that by the time they reach towards the end, they would be dead tired. But it is only towards the end that they begin to sprint and that final burst of energy just seems to manifest out of pure human spirit.

I guess in some abstract way I have been living my life in that sense.

I most of the time have that urge to go that extra mile when I can just stay put. But it's more than just that too I suppose. Take for example a good deed such as giving way to an old woman who is balancing her shopping bags and making her way out of the bus. Yes, stepping aside is good. But would not helping her with her bags be even better?

Ok, maybe that is a very simple one-off example and is hard to come by....or so we would think.

See, that's exactly what taking the 'extra' step is, you have to think about it because its extra-ordinary.

Maybe when you practice doing 'extra' good deeds it gets easier to do so. But then the question arises whether it is enough? Somehow within us there is that feeling of wanting to do good things and the sincerely great deeds.

We've just lost touch with it.

The other day I attended a conference in which they had showed a talk from TED.com (a good site to find great talks) and the speaker put forth one very interesting question.

Are we existing or living?

I notice that in our politically correct essays on how to make the world a better place, there will always be one very general point...to launch awareness campaigns. To make one aware means to just let one know of something and leave it as that. For matters like global warming, so many parties are speaking of awareness campaigns to battle this crisis. And so the public is aware of it.

Is that enough?

One of Al Gore's consequent talks after The Inconvenient Truth is regarding consciousness. Mere awareness is not enough anymore, we as humans must be conscious of what our responsiblities are and do something about a problem which urgently needs attention. Not just be aware of it and agree to it.

Still thinking that a chance for taking the extra step is hard to come by?

To know of a problem and not do anything about it. Is it enough?