Did you mean to do that?

Let’s face it… we are living in a new time.  A time where emotions run high and people are literally outraged on all sides.  Some want to call it ‘passion’, but in my opinion, “passion” doesn’t attack another person.  So what do you call it?

I’ve been struggling with this lately because, in truth…we all have the right to our opinions.  But what I feel we are losing is honest to God compassion for the human experience.

In recent times, I have been scrolling on Facebook and I see someone’s post that is in direct opposition to mine.  I keep scrolling…

I gotta be honest… it’s getting harder to scroll past, because the passion has turned in to outrage and slander and though I still respect that these people have the right to their opinions, my heart hurts at the same time.  Because these are people that I care about, and I love watching their stories and seeing their families grow and celebrating milestones.  When I first started facebook it was ALL about “Connection”.  And now, it seems it’s a forum for outrage, opinions, and breaking others down.

Recently, there have been a few posts about someone elses beliefs (multiple by different people).  I directly oppose what they stated.  But there is no way in HELL that I’m going to address it on facebook.  It literally makes me wonder if I stood before them and gave them my “why” if they would accept me, or keep their “status” of anger, and damn me to hell.

We all make choices in life that we have to deal with.  We all live in a way that works for US, but wouldn’t work for others.

I grew up Catholic and even though we have parted ways, there is a foundation there that pops up in the back of my head (if you are Catholic, you know what I’m talking about).  I learned long ago, “Judge not lest ye be judged”.  It’s hard to do, trust me.  But if I’m rallying for this and starting at home, my best example is getting mad at the hubs because he doesn’t see that the garbage is full, and soon it’s overflowing until we argue about who is taking it out…. MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH…. the poor guy has to live on the DAILY with my piles of clutter that “I’ll get right back to” (for about 23 years now).

While everyone wants to look at what everyone else is doing wrong, are they ever taking the time to look at themselves and realize that they have judgeable character traits as well?  I mean, lets face it… none of us are perfect.

Yet they have no problem posting a status that will quietly alienate people they otherwise admire, and in doing so, separate them from being comfortable to share the truth.  I have a couple of dear friends who I’m afraid to let them in on a little secret as they unknowingly judged the hell out of me.  I will never tell.  I don’t want to know everything about everyone anymore than they want to know about me.

That said, I can’t even tell them that I’m afraid to talk to them because their post was so inflammatory and judgmental that I will likely quietly slip away like the Homer Simpson character backs slowwwwly and quietly away, into the bushes….

I can’t change the way people think and I really don’t want to.  We all have our own belief systems and we live by them for a reason.  That’s our right and our own business.  I think I just really want people to know that they DON’T know who they are calling out when they spew their anger and judgement.

Recently a sweet friend posted about not understanding how someone can’t be tidy, because her house is always in order.  I brazenly told her that I don’t talk to a friend anymore because she judged me harshly, in my home, about how it wasn’t as clean as she thinks it should be.  Thankfully, we had a great conversation.  I told her I admire her mad skills and I wish I could be the same.  But it’s just not me.  Guess what…we are STILL friends!  I wish all instances could be like this but the truth is, it’s kind of (not kind of, DEFINITELY) getting scary out their folks.

I know we want to align people with our own thoughts and values, but I will be honest with you…I have had to make decisions that have made me cry in conflict… and I have had to live with my choices.  Knowing that I tread very lightly when I hear someone has chosen opposite me.  It’s not my place to judge.

All that said folks, this has been weighing heavy on my heart and if you know me at all, I gotta post when the spirit strikes.

My simple request … PLEASE BE KIND.   This world is a hard place to navigate and we really need each other.  So many of you don’t know how you brighten my day as I work at home and live at home and sometimes feel like I’m becoming institutionalized by my lack of interaction with actual humans.

I hope I never post anything that offends, and if I do, shoot me a PM.  But know that you can build people up… or break them down.   You have that choice every day.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.