There has been so much going on in the news and for the most part it's negative, sad, or bad. There are a few exceptions to that as it is with anything, but what seems to get the most focus is the negative, sad, or bad.
That has had me thinking a little more lately about how that relates to our own lives. Do I focus too much on the negative, sad, and bad things in life and less time on the positive, happy, and uplifting? Do I spend as much time encouraging and lifting others up as I do complaining about something or even feeling sorry for myself?
Stop and think about this is you will. When you are having a conversation either on the phone or in person with someone, are you giving them your complete undivided attention and making them feel like what they have to say is important enough for you to listen? If you aren't you should know, that has a very negative impact on the receiver's end. It could be as something as small as they are just checking in with you to say hey or see how you are doing or they need someone to just listen and encourage them and if you aren't interested enough to maybe pause what you are doing at the moment to really listen, what is that telling the person who is trying to have a conversation with you?
I'm sure I've done this and shame on me for that, but I know it's been done to me numerous times and it is frustrating. There have actually been times when I have called someone because I'm having a moment that I feel like I'm really going to fall apart and before I could even share those feelings I can already see that the other person is so disconnected to what I'm saying that I just choose to let it go and deal with it on my own. I truly hope I can make sure I don't do that to anyone else. It sucks to be quite honest.
Here is another thing that I think about often. What about if you just do not pause for a moment while driving and understand that the person that may have just cut you off or is driving slower than you would like them to is having a really bad day and by not pausing and only reacting, because you happen to be inconvenienced or frustrated, you might just make their already bad day even worse. Now, if you flip that around and pause a moment to think, WOW, maybe they didn't really see me or I wonder if they even realize how slow they are going and just be polite, can you imagine for a moment that any act of kindness or not reacting negatively at all might just help someone get through a really crappy day.
I can say this with all certainty. I have never set out in my car with the intention to just piss other drivers off. I don't intentionally cut someone off or try to drive too slow in the wrong lane. I make every effort to be a courteous driver, however, when my mind is on Chad or I'm feeling a little sad or blue that day I may not be as observant while driving as I should be (yes, that would probably be a good day not to drive, but unfortunately, we don't always get that privilege to just not go), but I certainly do not do it intentionally. I would like to think that over all the majority of people are not intentionally trying to piss you off or make your drive more frustrating or difficult for you.
Then I had to stop and think about these two poor journalist that were shot and killed yesterday in Virginia and my heart just breaks. Those poor families that suddenly lost someone they loved very much and a community was shaken and probably their faith in others shaken up because one person decided he could choose who lived and who did not. I've read, like most people probably have, the "reasons" for him snapping and doing the awful things he did and I don't buy it. Stop blaming everyone and everything else for you just being a selfish or terrible person. That shooting at that church (in my opinion) is not what caused this person to snap. Whether he is gay or not or regardless the color of his skin, that does not excuse or explain what he did yesterday. That is ridiculous. Even in his own death he is wanting to blame others for his life and/or choices he made. Sorry, but that's just not right. Those two people he killed and the one he injured had nothing to do with what he "claims" is his reasons behind his actions. Ridiculous!
I guess what I'm trying to say is this world is bad enough with all the craziness out there and all the innocent lives being lost far too soon so why not stop and do some little something positive either around others or for someone to make their day, week, month, life a little better or at the very least, less terrible than it might be at the time. Take time to listen to people, especially the ones you love, and invest just a little time in them and in your relationships.
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