Saturday, August 19, 2017
It's Not Easy Being Me...Or You
By Donovan Baldwin
What is it Kermit the Frog says? "It's not easy being green."
Well, that's my complaint too. I'm not green, but, it's not easy being ME either.
Wait! Let's look at that a bit more closely and modify that a tad.
It's not easy being YOU, ME, or anybody, sometimes. There always seems to be somebody who assumes us to be somebody else...somebody other than who we are, or want to be.
Waxing nostalgic, it used to be a bit simpler, in some respects.
The people down the road, in the same town or village, or, in the same country, had many of the same beliefs. There might be a few personality bumps, but, that grouchy old guy two houses down had essentially the same belief system as you, and your happy mom and dad, extended family, and the mayor...and so on.
These days, there's more differences...politics, religion, personal philosophy and lifestyle...it seems easier to offend...and BE OFFENDED.
I bet when most of us DO happen to offend people, we probably didn't mean to do so.
That's one way we're still alike. Usually, if someone offends YOU, they probably didn't mean to, either.
You want them to forgive you for your mistakes and accidental offenses. Sounds fair to do the same for them. Even when we're trying to understand each other, we must realize that it took a long time for each of us to become who we are.
Someone else isn't going to figure it out in a day.
Well, that's my complaint too. I'm not green, but, it's not easy being ME either.
Wait! Let's look at that a bit more closely and modify that a tad.
It's not easy being YOU, ME, or anybody, sometimes. There always seems to be somebody who assumes us to be somebody else...somebody other than who we are, or want to be.
Waxing nostalgic, it used to be a bit simpler, in some respects.
The people down the road, in the same town or village, or, in the same country, had many of the same beliefs. There might be a few personality bumps, but, that grouchy old guy two houses down had essentially the same belief system as you, and your happy mom and dad, extended family, and the mayor...and so on.
These days, there's more differences...politics, religion, personal philosophy and lifestyle...it seems easier to offend...and BE OFFENDED.
I bet when most of us DO happen to offend people, we probably didn't mean to do so.
That's one way we're still alike. Usually, if someone offends YOU, they probably didn't mean to, either.
You want them to forgive you for your mistakes and accidental offenses. Sounds fair to do the same for them. Even when we're trying to understand each other, we must realize that it took a long time for each of us to become who we are.
Someone else isn't going to figure it out in a day.
Labels: article by Donovan Baldwin, being green, donovan baldwin, frog, Kermit, offending, offense
