The ramblings of a crazy woman.
Did your parents ever tell you when you were a kid that you needed and “attitude adjustment?” Usually that was directed at us ladies, around 13-18, you know, while all the hormones are raging and so are our feelings.
Well, in my unpopular opinion, I think that we ALL could use a little attitude adjusting. Or in a more adult term, Open Mindedness. I’ve been getting so frustrated on a daily basis, because I have so many negative opinions all around me.
One thing I have noticed, is how everyone has just put their foot down, and won’t budge. There’s no news article, Facebook post, family members research, etc that will change their minds. We live in a world now where everyone is right, and if you don’t agree with them, you are wrong and we aren’t friends anymore.
I usually keep quiet when it comes to politics, mainly because it’s not a strong area for me. I kind of just sit back, and listen to everyone around me talk about it, and form my own opinions based on what and how people talk to each other. I am constantly surrounded by friends and family on all opposing sides, and I get to take in a lot of information, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard some one’s opinion on a subject change due to what someone else has told them. With all of the things that are going on and after being quarantined and getting a good amount of crazy worked up in us, it looks like we are in worse shape than ever before.
I am obviously not here to change anyone’s mind, that’s not my deal. But I am hoping that you might sit back and listen to people. Instead of jumping in, and immediately going for the throat, maybe take the time to hear someone out, maybe even that someone is the Democrat to your Republican.
When did dogmatism become the new way of life?
Yeah, google that. I did, too.
Regardless of whether you are on the right side or the left side, there is still a middle. And it seems that no one is willing to go there. It seems as though the middle was flooded and filled with man eating sharks, and if you even tried to challenge the person on the other side, they were just ready to write you off, and toss you in! It’s not called “middle-ground” for no reason. It’s where you can come half way to the other side, and be civilized without completely changing sides. I have spent a lot of time in the middle, observing. I’ve watched families divide, lifelong friendships divide and now our country is in a complete divide. We would rather stick to our beliefs so much, and hold on to so much hatred and spite, that we will eject anyone in our life, even the people that love us, based on their OPINION. I mean, obviously if those opinions are hate fueled, and that person is being down right disrespectful, it’s hard to have respect and understanding. I even sometimes will try to understand why they feel the way they do, (as hard as that can be) like who hurt you!? Why are you the way you are?
Instinct has given us this fight or flight mentality. I tend to go more the flight route, I’m out quicker than American Airlines when it comes to confrontation. But so many people have that fight mentality now. They really love to fight.
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
People are out here tearing each other apart on the internet (based on opinions) and so many people are hurting, and we have no regard for any one else’s feelings. I love people with my whole heart, and recently, someone I care about made a comment, that if you felt this certain way, then remove yourself from their life because they don’t want you any where near them. Even though it didn’t necessarily refer to me, it could have. And then what? We just go on about out life like we were never close. Why are we so willing to hold on to grudges and toss relationships aside like trash. When did we stop loving each other? I see so many people writing about love and acceptance, but I’ve never seen such hate and division. It’s a hypocrisy I will never understand. And everyone will at some point be a hypocrite. It’s inevitable.
But I challenge you to just try and change your attitude. (Notice I said ATTITUDE and not OPINION, as they are different) Try and reach out to someone who thinks differently than you. I know, that’s hard and unfathomable, but this road we are going down, it doesn’t end well.. Instead of approaching a difficult conversation with arguing and debating, maybe just listen. You can agree to disagree, I think that is still a thing?
But if you are going to preach about LOVE, and ACCEPTANCE and EQUALITY, maybe don’t be so exclusive. We are all individuals, and we all are allowed to feel the way we feel, and that is OK. But it’s also OK to want to understand why people feel the way they do. And it is OK to not agree.
Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.
Maya Angelou
Well I’m done rambling, as no one will read this, but I feel better now that I got it off my chest. And if you are reading this, just know how much I love you. Yes, You. Jesus commands that I love all my brothers and sisters, and so I will. Even the ones being butt heads. Yeah, I said it.
Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
Mother Teresa
Deep Breaths. Head up. And keep moving forward.
(Quotes by extremely wise people, who should be researched and learned about by everyone because they are wiser than most people ever will be)
Rich Beauty 