Today I have been thinking a lot about a lot of things. It started out with being unfriended and blocked on Facebook by one of my wife's cousins. I'm really not sure why, but I guess it is because she didn't like me telling her she was drinking the political koolaid. She told me I was a racist. When I asked why, I was told it was because black people drink koolaid. I didn't know that, but I will be sure to tell my boys they are no longer to put down "white" on a demographics question.
Then it was thinking about the upcoming election. This is the first one, in my memory, that seems to have so much riding on the result. Maybe it is just because of where I am in my life. I have different priorities now and I am much more aware of what is happening in the world and how it affects me. I am genuinely fearful of the result if it doesn't go the way I hope.
I read the pleasant comments and shared things on Facebook and appreciate the lighter side of life and share in people's happiness. But they are quickly followed up with nasty or rude comments about a story in the news or one of the political candidates. For some reason, this election seems to have brought out the worst in people. There is no discussion, only angry exchanges.
I sit and wonder what happened to the decency of the human spirit. When did it become OK to call a person a racist because he thought a black quarterback in the NFL is a poor leader on the field. When did it become OK to call a person intolerant just because they don't agree with your point of view. When did it become OK to harass or ridicule a person because of their religious convictions?
I wonder what happened to our ability to laugh at life and at ourselves. Today I heard a story of a father who wasn't going to allow his children to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" because of the bullying in the cartoon and how Lucy is so mean to people. Really? Remember Archie Bunker and George Jefferson? Talk about racist, bigoted behavior!! Now, you can say it was a different time when those shows were on. But I cry BS! People laughed at the jokes both ways, because everyone could see how ridiculous Archie looked and it was fun to see a black man be as racist as a white man. We laughed at the horrible behavior and saw it for what it was...stupid. Now, we have become so sensitive and politically correct that we don't dare step wrong.
There are still good people out there, it is just getting harder to find them. A good news story gets put online or on TV and people immediately look for something snarky to say. We as a society seem to have given up on being nice to people. Being polite has become too much work. It is easier to simply be rude to people like they are to us. The Golden Rule is alive and well...just now quite like it was intended.
Personally, I hope everything settles down a bit after the election. As for me, I want to look for the positive in people and try not to be so jaded. It is easy to do but it leaves you with an empty feeling.
So tomorrow, I will take pride in what God has blessed me with in my life and enjoy what He has placed in my life. I will enjoy the beautiful weather and the changing colors on the trees. I will see the beauty in people I meet and interact with.
Life is filled with choices. Our attitude and disposition are affected by our choices. Right now...I choose not to be jaded.
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