It’s Time

 

I haven’t blogged in quite some time. Last night one of my granddaughters said she had been checking and there was nothing new. Audrey, this one is for you. First, thanks for the push. 

So, why haven’t I written in such a long time? I didn’t feel like I had anything productive to say. When I thought about writing it was always about something that made me angry. I felt like I would be the old man standing on his porch yelling for those damn kids to get out of his yard. It seemed unproductive. We seem to spend too much time on social media yelling at each other. It is the human equivalent of the monkey house at the zoo. We throw verbal shit at each other and stroke our egos with the thought of how clever we were. How we showed the libs or put those Trumpers in their place. It would be reasonable to ask at this point what has that accomplished? Has it brought us closer? Has it moved us toward compromise and incremental movement to a brighter future? I think it has had the opposite effect. It has moved us apart. We have gone to our corners and hunkered down with those who think like we do. We read very little. We watch news that reinforces our beliefs. Whatever doesn’t fit our perceived narrative is dismissed. I find anger is just exhausting. It takes too much effort. If you do or say something that I allow to make me angry I have given you some level of control over my life. I’m not willing to do that. 

So, I have made my choice. I choose kindness. Smile, be cheerful, look for the good things around you. There is always a temptation to give in to our darker side. To say something harsh or cruel in response to a perceived slight. It doesn’t raise them to your level it lowers you to theirs. You allow yourself to become what you dislike in them. I choose kindness. I choose love. I hope Audrey this has given you something to think about.