Elements of Harmony

Introduction
My partner helped me start my journey by linking me to this delightful song "A Long Way From Equestria" by MandoPony and AcousticBrony. I loved it. They took something as simple as a children's TV show and turned it into a song about making the world a better place, which is something I can definitely support. Because we are a long way from Equestria. I've watched the first two episodes and I can honestly say the way the world is today is nothing like the world these characters inhabit. We could learn a lot from them.

I've noticed how great all of these characters treat each other. Applejack saves Twilight Sparkle from going over the edge of the cliff, Fluttershy chooses to be kind to the rampaging manticore, and Rainbow Dash chooses to stay loyal to her friends instead of thinking of herself. How often are the people we see in this world honest, kind and loyal? With so many people these days blowing themselves up in the name of some archaic religion or spewing hate speech at each other over trivial differences, how much better would this world be if we chose to use the Elements of Harmony in our lives a bit more?

Honesty
Recently I had a friend lose all of her money, identification, credit cards, because someone stole her wallet. She climbed out of her car at a gas station and she didn't notice her wallet had fallen to the pavement. In the few seconds it took her to go to the pump, realize she didn't have her wallet and turn around, someone had made off with it. Her grocery, bill and rent money was all in there. And I see stuff like this all the time. When I worked at Walmart in my youth, I found someone's purse in an empty shopping cart. I instantly took it to the service desk because the owner WAS going to come looking for it, and she did. She was amazed (and grateful) that I had not only returned it, but hadn't taken so much as a stick of gum.

Why? Why is this world so dishonest and deceitful that an act as simple as returning a lost purse is amazing? If more people had this Element, the world would be a much better place.

Kindness
I grew up in the city, so I've had some experience with the poor, destitute and homeless. I've even been among their number a time or two. Everyone gets down on their luck from time to time. It bothers me that everyone assumes that anyone who is in that position is either a drug addict, an alcoholic or a criminal. Not all of them are. Some of them are just down on their luck. Yet people have this awful idea that they should not help the less fortunate because they feel they will be "feeding an addiction."

I ran a behavioral experiment a few years back. I made a wager with some friends of mine that people were more likely to respond to what they perceived to be the truth-- that is that all destitute people are alcoholics and addicts-- than a cry for help. I told them I would stand by the side of the interstate for two consecutive afternoons. On one afternoon I would hold a sign that said "I need a beer." On the second afternoon I would hold a sign that said "Hungry - need food." I was amazed at the results. When I held a sign advertising my need for a beer, not only were people more willing to help, but some of them actually brought me beer! The food sign achieved modest results.

Perhaps it would be better to just be kind to each other? Instead of bullying and berating each other or ignoring those in need, the world would get exponentially better if we just reached out in kindness to someone at some point during our day. It certainly worked for Fluttershy, who not only stopped the monster, but made a friend as well!

Laughter
I cannot stress enough how important laughter is. It just is! It's one of the most important weapons we have against sadness, depression, anger and fear. I used to let things bother me a lot, but like Pinkie Pie I learned that laughter can actually improve the quality of your life.

I was once a terrible, angry, bitter person. I had no sense of humor, no ability to take things in stride and almost everything bothered me. It wasn't until I went to the heart of Dixie in the southern USA and lived among people who were too busy laughing, cutting up and enjoying life that I realized that sometimes the obstacle in front of you may look terrifying. Sometimes it may look like the most horrible monster you've ever faced. Or sometimes it may just make you want to get fighting mad. The best thing you can do in a lot of those situations is learn to find the humor in it. Learning to laugh at life's mishaps (with the exception of things like broken bones, fractured skulls, etc.) can greatly improve not only your outlook on life, it makes you a person more people want to be around because they see you as a fun person who doesn't let things bother them.

Just try not to be too much like Pinkie Pie. Honestly, she was amusing, but by the end of the hour her bubbly, giggly WHEEEEE personality was beginning to grate on my nerves.

Generosity
Being generous needs no real explanation. I've always been a very generous person, some would say to a fault. I will give you the last of what I have, right down to my last if I can. Why? Because things come and go. Money comes and goes, possessions come and go. Even the great beach bum Jimmy Buffett once said in a song: "Spend it while you can/Money's contraband/You can't take it with you when you go." I see no reason to horde something when someone else has none. If I have a twenty dollar bill in my wallet that I don't need for some crucial expense, then by all means take it. What am I going to spend it on? A cheeseburger? A new hat? If you need it bad enough to ask me for it, I can part with it, because sometimes just asking is a great act of humility.

Rarity is so generous that she cuts off her own beautiful tail to give to the serpent. When she remarks "It will grow back," her friend remarks "So would the moustache," which is a valid point (and a rather amusing one). Yet cutting off her tail did not affect her in the long run. She was not put out by the loss. If more people took to helping each other as willingly as she did, would there be starving children? Would there be people in need? Would our world be in the condition it is in now? I doubt that.

Loyalty
Loyalty is one of the most important traits a person could have as part of their personality. To be loyal to a friend, to refuse to sell them out or to stand by them no matter what or to even die for them, is not only admirable, it brings you great honor in the eyes of your peers.

Rainbow Dash didn't sell out her friends, even for something she desperately wanted. To be that kind of friend is something worth striving for. Loyalty can sometimes be unhealthy or dangerous when given to the wrong person or cause, but when it is invested in healthy relationships, friends, family, then you have something that could never be bought with money, or bribed or frightened away.

Imagine if the whole world exhibited this kind of loyalty. Imagine if we were true to what we said and never betrayed those we cared about! I have this friend who was very bad into controlled substances at one point. Drugs. The types of things he was doing were bad enough that it worried me. One night I was walking toward his house and I notice some people standing in the middle of the road. There was a whole group of them, at least six. I was watching this group as I walked past, and suddenly I saw them attack someone wearing a hoodie. To my surprise, it was my friend. Without hesitation, I ran to this friend of mine and drove the men attacking him away. There were enough of them that they could have easily taken both of us down, but I stood in the street and stared them down, ready to defend my friend with my life. And those men left without another word.

Loyalty.

To be true to those you care about. To protect them. To stand beside them no matter what. To die for them if necessary.

This is loyalty. If I were in Twilight's group, this would be my Element, because I value it above anything else.

Magic
When you have these things together, you definitely have magic, because when you find all of these elements in a person or a group of people, you have wonderful friends. And to have such true, honest, brave, loyal friends is as powerful as any magic.

Conclusion
It is so strange how much I enjoyed this show. It's bizarre because, well let's face it, it's My Little Pony. I'm 32 years old. And a guy. Granted, bronies are of the mindset that people need to look past things like age and gender, and I agree. But it's going to take a little getting used to. In the meantime, I will be spending some time prowling the fandom on the internet and finding out where all of these brony superfans are hiding. After all, they pack convention centers across the globe. How hard could it be to find them?

-MD