The Golden Rule, we all know it, we have all heard it. Our parents drilled it into our consciousness
and we have reiterated it to our children. “You only treat people the way that you want
to be treated.” Or “Do unto others as they do unto you.” Either version conveys the same message. If you don’t want to be treated badly,
gossiped about, or bullied, don’t do it to another human being.
Our schools now have regimented
anti bullying campaigns. There have been too many stories in the news about
young people who were abused and bullied.
It may occur face to face or through cyber space. Sadly, too many of these accounts have ended tragically.
The truth is if people lived by the
Golden Rule these incidents would not have occurred. Who would willingly subject themselves to
humiliation, verbal abuse or physical attacks?
It is true; simply treat other as you want to be treated!With all of this emphasis on eradicating bullying and gossiping why would the current leader of this Nation and a potential leader of our Nation openly and deliberately exhibit the behavior that we are telling our children NOT to do?
Currently it is election season. On this year’s calendar is a big one, the
Presidential vote. During this campaign season, like so many before, we
have been openly witnessing two men who are treating one another badly. There is name calling, twisting of words, and
misrepresentation of facts not to mention the skewed visual depictions on
television and print advertisements.
I am not one to air
my political views. It is not part of my
DNA. Some people take to the election
season like it is a sporting event. Key
players are evaluated, opponents are studied and strategies are formulated. Any
way to discredit the opponent is revered.
These past few months interested and passionate Americans have held
countless discussions and debates around office water coolers, at family gatherings
and on the sidelines and in the stands of our children’s sporting events. Opposing
sides have clashed and the misrepresentations voiced from the media are
repeated. For good measure the storyteller’s version of the truth is added to
the tale and it is embellished.
With the advent of
social media folks have added another venue in which to “share” their thoughts about
either candidate or political party. For
the most part I ignore these posts. But now people have a place where they
can speak freely without having to look into the eyes of the person standing before
them. Their voices are heard through the keyboard and are posted on a virtual wall.
All of this is a form of gossip. I wonder
has everyone forget another core lesson that our parents taught us. My Mother
always told me. “If you don’t have anything nice to say about someone, don’t
say anything at all.” Seems like this
too has been forgotten
As I look back at my high school years I clearly
remember a poster that I had hanging on my bedroom wall. The picture was that
of a seagull soaring high in a richly blue sky.
The caption on the bottom read:
“I shall pass this way but
once. Any good therefore that I can do,
or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now, for I
shall not pass this way again.”…..Anonymous
Simply put this is the
Golden Rule Part II.
Many years ago
those words resonated with me, and today they still do. They are a natural extension of the Golden
Rule. I believe that both men that are vying to occupy the Office of the
President of the United States, or anyone for that matter running for a
political office, live their lives by these words. Why else would they open themselves to intense
scrutiny and personal attacks if they did not have the desire to make positive differences
in people’s lives?
I realize that my
thoughts on this page are idealistic and unrealistic. Political campaigns are and will continue to
make one candidate out to be better by slandering the other. Bullying this way is simply the way
that it is. But think about it for a
moment. How would our world be different if we
moved just a few inches in the other direction? What if we slid the marker closer
to the side of living by the Golden Rule than not? Could our lives possibly be better? Would things be more peaceful? How would it
be to live in a compassionate society opposed to one of verbal attacks? Maybe
instead of twisting one another’s thoughts and words we could walk along a common
path of creating a society that works towards shared goals and does not define
ourselves by our differences. What if we
lived from the heart instead of the head…..Think about it. Can you imagine?
Kathy - very divine thoughts - unfortunately we are tainted from the very moment we are allowed have an opinion...the Glorious Lord preached these words 2000 years ago and maybe it is time for the advent of someone to re-voice His words.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing! Carry on :-)
How very sad that the effects from "Bullying" has caused such evil in people since way back when, and will continue to do so as time marches on. I truly do like what the poster says that used to hang on your wall... the world would be such a better place if people would live by those words..... never give up hope that people can change, it is possible!
ReplyDeleteKS
I suppose we can't control how others carry out this rule, only how we do so. <3
ReplyDeleteKathy, thanks for the reminder. My mother said those same words to me. Though I have shared posters which said mean things about the party whose ideals I do not share, it has severed a friendship and I have been unfriended by a few on Facebook. To tell the truth, I know I was hiding behind those words on those posters thinking,"these are not my words." But, they were my thoughts and I don't think I would say them to the candidates' faces if I had the chance. Right now I am ashamed of my cowardice and that Golden Rule is looking like a much needed one.
ReplyDelete