A Modern Day Parable…

The Broccoli Tree: A Parable

The other day, I hopped onto Snapchat for the first time in months…

Opened Snapchat 4 the 1st time in months; skimmed thru their news feed which immediately threw a vid of XXXTentacions murder in my face, then shifted to Barstool who just made fun of Bron’s squats &, I closed out after being informed some dog died.

No wonder we’re all depressed.

— andy gill (@itsandygill) July 12, 2018

It’s as if we’ve collectively, as a society, become addicted to negativity.

Over the last few years, I’ve created this new rule for living my life… it’s this “semi-zero tolerance rule;” in that, if someone relatively new in my life begins to show this major character flaw that involves cutting people down for no apparent reason other than building themselves up or, at the very worst… for just, “shits and giggles” then, I swiftly and unnoticeably cut them out of my life.

[I say semi-zero tolerance kind of rule because 1) life isn’t black and white; 2) it feels at times unreasonably ruthless; 3) grace?]

But, honestly, it’s this sadistic subtly that if one is not intentionally aware of, it will impositionally force itself into your psyche. It’s when we begin to create a connection through destructive forms of gossip; it’s when cutting people down or “just being real” turns into co-workers laughing at others over beers while mislabeling this as “venting.”

It’s almost as if as soon as you experience joy or accomplish a feat there’s a negative gnome waiting in the bushes to just jump out and kick you right where it hurts…

In 2018, to be famous, you have to be one of three things: 1. a masochist; 2. someone who literally feels nothing; or, 3. an innocent naive person who has no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into (usually, and sadly, this is children).

You’re probably wondering, “How do you know this?”

Just go and read some of the comments under any given well-known YouTubers video. Not enough? Ask your attractive friends (usually women) why  they’ve decided to make their Instagram feed “private.”

Still, not enough…?

Find a famous inanimate object…

You see, it’s not just innocent people, people love to attack but, it’s inanimate objects; for instance, The Broccoli Tree (depicted in the banner). This particular tree gained a huge following on Instagram as a photographer began to photograph it with simplicity just highlighting it’s beauty, it’s normalcy, and the life and joy being lived around it; here is The Broccoli Tree today…