It's A Love/Hate Relationship

The one I have with people. There are so many wonderful things about a lot of people that make me love them. Especially when it comes to those of the blogging sort. Because they are wonderful. Supportive. Understanding. And just amazingly lovely in general. And then there are the people with whom I work. The best educators, friends, people in general that you'll ever hope to meet. Then there are, of course, a few family members that are truly worth a spot on the 'People I Love' list. Also on that list is my BFFs- one from high school, one from college, one from parenthood and my brother and my dad and my aunt... There are those who try to make a positive difference in the world for all. The ones who expose those who would cause us harm; those who reach out to the ill-mentally and physically; those who seek and promote world peace at the expense of their own lives...

I am so appreciative of this group. These are the people who lift us up when we are down or, in some situations, will just sit there with us until we're ready to get up. They are the ones who know us well and love us anyway. They are the ones who understand our moods and will listen and know that it's just a mood and not to take things personally. They are the ones who tell us, "Yes you can" when we say we cannot. They even seem to know just when to pick up the phone and call or stick a hand written note in the mail. They stay in touch and they truly care. They are sincere and honest. They are the ones who help us when we don't even know we need help. They are the ones who step out of their comfort zone and to become world changers. They are the ones who make a difference whether it's effect is obvious or not; they do it just because it's the right thing to do. They do it without expectation of return. They do it because they care and because they love. There just aren't enough words to tell how wonderful these folks are.

But then, as with pretty much everything, there's the other side. Those people who lie to us. Those people who gossip behind our backs. Those who make promises without an inkling of keeping them. Those who are racist and prejudiced and just horrid in so many ways. Those who mistreat children, the elderly and animals...

It seems that no manner of positivity sent out, no amount of prayers, no amount of pleading can stop these people. They are intent on causing suffering to others. They seem to take pleasure and joy out of the suffering of other living creatures. These are unhappy people. These are people who lash out and believe that violence is a way to solve problems. Problems which are nothing more than wanting their way AND wanting others to do things this way as well. It's their way or the highway mentality. They take from others and they demonize others. The demean. They dehumanize. And they take full advantage. Some hold powerful positions and others hold anything but powerful positions. These people never seem to change and, it seems, that the numbers of them who are stopped, are quite low. Perhaps this is due to great amounts of the almighty dollar that is available to them which speaks loudly and gets results or perhaps it's our blind acceptance of a pattern that has become a comfort zone regardless of how horrid the acts are or perhaps we're just too lazy. 

Especially when it doesn't seem to affect us directly. But, seriously, everything that happens on a world level DOES affect each of us directly and personally. And I believe that when these travesties happen to other, weaker humans/animals, that too, should affect us personally at the very least.

No matter the level of the offense, we should care. We should care a lot. And we should do something to stop it.

No, I don't have the answers. I do know that what very little that is being done now has not made much of a difference. People are still abusing kids, animals and the elderly. People are still declaring war and others are supporting it by buying from companies that manufacture products used for the sole purpose of destroying human life. People are still murdering and raping. Genocide is still a fact of life and so is slavery- racial, sexual... The poisoning of our food continues to spread to the delight of the chemical giants' and pharmaceutical companies pocketbooks--not to mention the medical profession. It's a freaking zoo out there. And I'm opposed to those (zoos) too!

As I said, I do not have the answers. But I'm searching. And my search is internal as well as outwardly observational. There has to be a stopping point. A point where we can more about peace that we spend money on it than we do on defense. How did we advance in all our technologies and make no improvements or advance one bit in our communication skills? HOW did THAT happen? When did we get so busy that we can't see what the big corporations are doing to our health and well-being? When did we let the mistreatment of living things older and smaller than ourselves get so out of hand that we can't stop it?

Is it because we continue to live with and otherwise associate with abusers/liars/back-stabbers/racists/prejudiced/etc assholes on a more local, personal level to the point that we believe those people to be the accepted norm? Surely not.

Perhaps we just need to get fed up. And the sooner, the better.

Ok, your turn. Spew forth some wisdom, y'all!