What the world needs now is…

Photo credited to Caleb Gregory.

I tend to be a little philosophical about life. If you are reading this, I assume you are too. Or maybe you were intrigued by the photo that I found online.

I think everyone would agree that the world could use more patience, kindness, and goodness. But I also believe people think that OTHERS should be patient with them, kind to them, good in general. Most of us probably see ourselves as having those qualities. But do we?

We make excuses for our own unwillingness to be any or all three things. “I’m not being kind to her if she’s not kind to me.” “I’m a good person most of the time. So what if I…?” “(Name) drives me crazy! She’s so…”

You get the idea. I preach a lot about walking in someone else’s shoes all the time. Just ask my family. One of my older blogs is about that concept. Not walking in their shoes to the point of excusing their bad choices, but walk in their shoes to understand why they are the way they are and be willing to help.

There are so many ways we violate these three traits. We gossip, we’re mean via text or social media, or we ridicule and embarrass others. We treat people in ways that we would very much prefer NOT to be treated ourselves.

I use the pronoun “we” because I know I’m guilty of not always being patient, kind, or good, although I try to be. I truly do try, and for that reason, I am often saddened and sickened by what I hear people say and write about each other.

You may think I’m ridiculous, that I’m too idealistic, that I spend all of my time watching Hallmark movies (I don’t.) I enjoy good conflict in books, TV shows, and movies just like most of you do.

That I don’t enjoy it in real life. I always believe working to get along is better than a heated argument, that people can disagree without being unkind, and that the world is  a less stressful, more pleasant place when those three principles are followed.

Maybe you’re one of those people who might say, “I’m a jerk to others, but I don’t care.” That’s your right. It’s also my right not to enjoy spending time with you, but maybe I need to rethink the idea of talking badly about you. After all, I don’t know what made you the way you are. Maybe you had a difficult childhood or have had a lot of pain in your life. Maybe you are bitter about something. Or maybe…you’re just a jerk. If I don’t want to be a jerk also, then I need to keep my opinion of you to myself, wouldn’t you think? That’s how it works.

All of us could stand to take a good look in the mirror. Try to see ourselves the way others see us. Try to think if we enrich the lives of people around us or make them more uncomfortable or difficult. Try to figure out if people are glad when we walk into a room or relieved when we walk out.

Think about it.