I suspect the trolls will come out looking for me but oh well here goes. If we don’t speak up people assume that silence means we agree with them. Here goes…
I know this may appear to be Pollyanna or simple-minded but why in all this craziness are we constantly looking to be a life of us vs them? Don’t we have more in common than what separates us? Even if we have significant fundamental differences I still would argue we have more in common and most of that actually impacts on a daily, hourly and in minute by minute basis. I hate that we can look at our Christmas list and realize that there a few folks on the list that we are “dead” to because differences stirred up by people in distant lives on the internet, in cities far away, and people who don’t even exist. How did we get to the point that there is only one point of view?
RangerSir and I are ethically and morally exactly on the same page. Though there have been times the method to the end result was to each of us a very different path. We both wanted and believed in the same thing, but the policies to get there were divergently different. A couple of times so much so that we voted for different presidents. We did not agree on the method, but we could see another point of view. We could see how one another’s life story made them look at the means to the end through a different lense. It was all of this that has allowed our long marriage to endure, grow, and be so strong.
It is the same thing for some of our longest lasting friendships. We respect how they look at things. We value them enough to consider them friends and so why would we not listen and value their point of view when it is different than my own. I like to think I’ve grown, matured, and even changed when listening to another person.
I have written a previous post that brought out the trolls, and it wasn’t pleasant. It resulted in me taking it down for fear of becoming viral or altered and then viral. So in spite of the fear of how trolls can come out of the woodwork because of this post possibly aiming to treat me wickedly and prompt others to do so here it is my point of view. I think that this is worth saying. As a person, not as a group of people, but as a single person we have a lot in common and a lot to fight for together. I don’t expect everyone to agree. I expect you to have come decently to look and say I wonder what kind of life she has lived that would prompt her to look at the world through those glasses. Possibly reflect on your point of view. Then think about all the things that make us a like you never thought about before.
Thank you for giving me a few minutes of your time to read this post. I appreciate it and truly hope today is a good one for you.
Looking Out the Window 
Diana, thank you for being brave enough to share your lovely words…we do need to speak up.
Very well said! I quite agree, often am so confused about why everyone has to be so confrontational about everything. Surely we as Americans can focus more on the similarities we share rather than the differences that divide. I hope so! Hope you all are getting settled in your new home by now. Keep smiling, cuz!!!
We are hanging in there. Our personal belongings were picked up on the 4th in Missoula. Hopefully, they will arrive here sometime soon.
Hi Diana! Sure do miss our “creative circle” and our chatter. You are truly spot-on with your observations regarding the current state of our society and country as a whole. It saddens my heart to see people attacking people because they have differing views. Makes it hard to converse with anyone because you never know what might be a “trigger”. Guess we just keep being who we are and behave the way we were raised – treating everyone with dignity and respect! Take care and stay well. Hope you are taking time to enjoy your favorite season! Montana hugs headed your way.
Thank you. I do miss my creative circle as well. Hope you are doing well.
You and I had many conversations coming from completely polar opposite points of view. I always respected that we could have civil and engaging conversations and I always learned something. I still think about those conversations and how we, as a society, and largely due to social media, have lost the art of civilized discourse and debate. America has become so divided and polarized and there is an overwhelming amount of political correctness and hurt feelers. I don’t see it ever “going back” to what it was, so I am grateful for our conversations back in the day.
I love to think about discussions like we had and think about seeing how someone could feel or think the way they do. Each person’s road in life is much more different than we imagine it to be. Yet if we look and listen carefully we learn something. Not saying it always useful, something we agree with, but it is still a moment of learning we would have never had if we hadn’t taken the time to listen.
I totally agree with you Diana! And it is a shame that we no longer seem to have respect for our fellow man and their feelings. This world is a much harsher place these days.
I hope you have a wonderful day today, tomorrow and always!
I guess I am sad like you for the loss of civility. We sure don’t have to agree and we all have never all agreed on anything thing, but at one time we could treat others with respect even if they did not match up with our point of view.