Today I just have to vent. I like the old days - or what is portrayed in the old days - where people were polite and genuine and didn't criticize people for their faults. Especially here in the South, we're supposed to be polite, but most Southerners I know have just perfected the art of insulting you right to your face as long as the sweet Southern drawl is dripping with sweet. It's out of control. We hurl insults at strangers, curse out our best friends, and sit on the edge of our seats sometimes waiting for someone to bait us. It's almost as if anger management should have been a class in high school - now there's an idea!
We're all guilty of it - lord knows I am. Anger and stress built up from one source gets re-directed towards an innocent victim who's punishment usually doesn't fit the crime. Sometimes I even have the intention of being nice to everyone and honestly get baited into a skirmish. Or as much as I really want to play nice, I HATE that feeling that someone is getting the best of me and I just can't resist the urge to defend myself and save face. And I end up regretting bringing that drama into my life.
I know that there are friendships and relationships that I try REALLY hard to maintain. I try really hard to think before I speak and not hurt feeling and be as honest as I can without hurting feelings. I'm not 100% successful even at these, but the beauty of the relationships is that the mistakes you make are apologized for and everyone moves on.
I just wish that I had the energy to try this hard with all people that I meet on a daily basis. And I wish that everyone made the same effort all the time. What an amazing world it could be. Have far would it reach to make the world a better place?
Just be you, Jen...be the best Jen you can.
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