My thoughts

Thoughts for Today

I've noticed that there are a lot of angry people running around. I can think of two instances today. On my way in to Golden Corral a black woman was leaving cussing a wind-storm at someone, I couldn't tell if she was on the phone or cussing out someone in Golden Corral or just cussing someone in general but she was very ticked.

On my way home... I was driving down Lebanon Rd at 45 which is the speed limit and the guy behind me kept gesturing for me to go faster. He was quite irate about it.

Those are just two examples. The diatribe's I read on facebook from all political persuasions and religious beliefs are just another example. There are people who get angry at other's because they don't believe a certain way... or they believe a certain way... or they vote for a particular person or they don't vote for a particular person... I can go on and on.

Don't get me wrong. I am no different. I found myself getting angry at a black couple because they happened to be sitting in my favorite seat, in Golden Corral, by the window. I was thinking 'how dare you sit in my seat!.' But of course they couldn't have known it was my seat. They got there before me and the seat was empty. But my anger was still there, a raging beast inside of me that didn't listen to my reasoned arguments. I also get angry at people who cut me off in traffic... who get in line before me at a restaurant... who take too long at the buffet bar... who cut in front of me at the gym... the list goes on and on. Yes, I also participated in some very angry discussions on a forum, that has been disbanded where I used to get mad at anyone who didn't share my views on the Bible, God, Marriage, Politics, etc, etc, etc.

Why are we so angry? What is the reason? Are we so set in our ways, whatever they may be, that we cannot comprehend that someone might think, feel or believe, otherwise? Are we that egotistical? Or is there something more then that? Are we frustrated, deep inside, that life, beliefs, values, etc, is not going the way we think it should?

For example... is the Liberal frustrated that people don't accept man-made Climate Change, Evolution, Same-sex Marriage, Obama's greatness, etc, etc, etc because he/she says we all should?

Is the Conservative frustrated that people don't deny man-made Climate Change, Evolution, Same-sex marriage, Obama's greatness etc, etc, etc because he/she says we all should?

It is not my attention to lump everyone into the same category here... so please don't anyone get angry at me.... :)

I don't know the answer in society or in myself. I think the answer comes down to forgiveness. Are we capable of forgiving others because they believe differently, think differently, feel differently or act differently then the way we think they should? Can we take that leap? This is not speaking of condoning beliefs, thoughts, actions, feelings, etc that we believe are wrong. This is forgiving those who participate in such things. Can we take that step? Can we forgive those who are different than we are for the crime of being different?

Can I?

I don't know. But I don't think our nation, society, etc has much of a chance if we cannot.