Friday, February 27, 2004

Let it be.

Today, someone I work with sent me an article that was a pretty vile and ugly attack on my personal religious beliefs. I think it was done intentionally, with intent to cause pain (this person knows my views and beliefs), and as far as I am aware it was done without any particular provocation on my part. So I said a prayer for the sender, and one for the writer, and I let it go, or tried to.

But because I was taking it personally, it got me thinking about all the other times people have said nasty things about what I believe in. Then it occurred to me that over the years, people have said ugly things to me when they found out:

  •  - my religion
  •  - where I live
  •  - where I grew up
  •  - my military service
  •  - that I helped set up race relations programs in the 70's
  •  - that my children married outside my religion
  •  - that I don't agree with them about everything
  •  - that I willingly work with people who are "different"
  •  - etc. You name it, somebody has taken a shot at me about it.

So it's really foolish (and possibly prideful) to take this stuff personally, or to feel compelled to "say something back" to individuals who, for whatever reason, feel compelled to put me "in my place." It isn't about me, it's about them.

Dawn D. said something on her weblog the other day that also came to me in the middle of this: "I know they suffer just like I do, and they think that [people like me] are the reason they are suffering." (not an exact quote, but close enough)

Thanks, Dawn -- I needed that.


6:31:02 PM