I've Had Enough...

My mind is all over the place right now, and if I don't get some of this stuff out of my head, I am going to go crazy.  This won't be the most well-worded post because I'm typing at the speed of my brain, and some of the rules of grammar might be neglected.  I don't care.

First of all, as I sit to type this post, I am keenly aware that it is an arrogant thing to post about what runs through my own mind.  I mean, who really cares what I have to say?  I know this.  Yet those of you readers that know me, know I am not an arrogant person.  It feels very weird and I feel very vulnerable throwing myself out here like this with each post.  But as I said when I started my blog, I am doing this as a way to connect with people, and talk about things that maybe others are thinking but yet not talking about.  I guess I hoped that there would be more written responses to my posts, and some good conversations starting that way, but so far that hasn't been the case.  I'll admit it's made me question at times if it's worth it, but I'm fairly certain that what I think and feel, is thought and felt by others, too.  This is just a new way of connection that I am exploring.  I've also come to realize that it's also therapeutic for me.  I was a journalism major, and writing is one of the best releases I have.  I had forgotten that part of myself.  So for those of you that read my posts, and might have even the slightest care as to what runs through my head, know that I appreciate it so much more than I can ever express. 

Onto the next thing in the racetrack of my mind...

I've had enough in regards to some of the fall out in response to the horrifying Sandy Hook school shootings. All over TV and radio, in newspapers, online, and on Facebook there are people arguing about what is right for this country in regards to gun control and mental health issues.  It frustrates me to no end that in the midst of the most unthinkable grief that people are going through, people are arguing and forcing their opinions out into the world as if it's the only correct one, and just continuing to spew anger because someone disagrees with their viewpoint.  An intense, heated or passionate discussion is one thing, but when people just throw the gloves down and go at it, it's crossed the line of civility.  What happened to being open-minded to someone else's opinion? What happened to remembering that what might be right for one, may not be right for another?   There is no one right answer to anything, much less topics of this magnitude.  If there were, there'd be no argument.  But that doesn't seem good enough for some people out there.  More than ever I have been shown that some people just want to argue for sake or arguing, and for trying to be right.  But all that does is just compound the negatives, and spread the anger, and it deters away from the matters at hand.  What good has ever come from an argument?  I think most people would say they want to be treated with respect, compassion, kindness, and friendship, or as it'd been said, "we should treat others as we want to be treated".  At what point do people throw that out the window and not give a crap about someone else's feelings?           

Those kids and teachers at Sandy Hook left this world seeing the anger, and hate, and bad in the world.  Now as we all mourn the loss of those precious lives, we see their loved ones focusing on positives, wanting their loved ones remembered for their good qualities, and are searching for ways to have the positives outshine the negatives in the world.  They want us to come together, to be better, to be positive influences in this world.  A parent of one of the surviving children said that his son is now scared of "the bad guy" all the time.  That kid's parents don't want their son living that way.  None of us want to live that way.  We all know we can't eliminate or shut the bad out, but those kids knew no bad, no hatred.  At what point in life do we learn to be so awful towards one another? 

So much energy is spent arguing, or trying to be right.  Imagine what would happen if all of that passion, that energy, were spent on doing good in the world.  If it were spent LISTENING to other people.  If it were spent cherishing friends and loved ones, and actually telling them - not just assuming they know.  If it were spent trying to come to an understanding of someone else's point of view, without insults or judgment.  We all know how it feels when someone tells us they love us, when someone understands us, and respects us.   I fail to comprehend why that way of living is not more prevalent, especially in trying times.  I'm not suggesting we all sit together and hold hands and sing, but that we quit fighting over our differences and forge ahead with our similarities. 

As I scan my Facebook news feed, I see more and more expressions of friendship and kindness being shared by people sending their love and support to Newtown, CT.  People sending wishes of peace, love and friendship to people they have never even met.  It's that type of thing we need more of everyday, not just in times of tragedy.  Wouldn't you agree?  Wouldn't that give you a more positive view of the world?  Your kids??

I even got involved in a small way and I made a ribbon to hang on my Christmas tree to honor the kids and teachers.  I found a scrap of white ribbon, and a scrap of a Crayola ribbon.  To me, the Crayola ribbon symbolizes the youth that was lost, and the teardrop eyelet in the center represents the millions of tears shed by those with an aching heart.  It reminds me of the sadness I feel for the victims, their families and friends, and everyone in Newtown.  But it also reminds me of the innocence that we all still have inside of us, the love that we can share with one another, and how we can come together.   

So, I am going to close this post, go take some aspirin to alleviate the headache I have, and focus on some positive, good, and happy things, and remember that the world is a pretty great place. Together we make it great. Apart it is broken - we are broken. I hope that as we realize that more than ever as we now move on and deal with tragedy. And just maybe, change our little corners of the world, and  in that way make the whole world a little bit better than those kids and teachers left it. They deserve it. We all do, too.