On the evening news were college students carrying signs reading “free compliments.” They were shouting compliments to passersby as they walked down the street. “You look good today, your dress is beautiful, your hair is nice today.” I thought this was a good gesture for them to be doing. I remember other signs saying “perform a random act of kindness today.” These positive statements in our generally negative society are like a breath of fresh air.
We need to show positive attitudes more than we do. It would be good to offer free encouragement to those who need it, and to those who don’t need it also. I remember how a school teacher killed my interest in art by telling me a drawing I made was “horrible.” Never tried to draw again. She could have just as easily encouraged me to do better.
There are many shows on TV like “American Idol,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “Dancing with the Stars” where the judges kill the incentive of the participates to do better with their nasty comments. People tend to just give up and quit trying, as I did, in the face of such unneccesary criticism.
People come in all levels of sensitivity. Some can take the nasty remarks and keep going because they are not sensitive to them, while others are destroyed by them. This sensitivity will not be known until it is to late to retract the remarks.
Then there are negative people who add snarky remarks to almost everything that comes out of their mouth. “Linda was wearing a new dress, probably stole it.” “John got a great job, probably knew someone high up in order to get it.” Little sammy won the contest, I think his mother wrote his paper.” On and on it goes. Television programs are full of these nasty afterthoughts as if they were necessary to the plot, or to show the “toughness” of the character. Just stop doing it. Pay attention to your remarks and make them positive statements instead of negative ones. You will feel better for it and so will others. Jesus said: “let your yes be a simple yes, and your no a simple no.” Didn’t understand that until after my near death experience.
There is far to much competition in our society, and not near enough cooperation. In competition someone loses and someone wins. In cooperation all win. We have taken this competition to the extreme. Using our children to compete for us. I couldn’t believe it when I saw two and three year old babies competing for a Miss America type of pageant. The babies could have cared less by the look on their faces, it was the adults who were competing.
In our society there is no way to keep out of the endless competition. So try not to compare yourself with the other competitors, some will always be better than you, and some worse. Measure your progress against yourself. Each day try to do a little better than you did the day before. Compete only with yourself. You will be able to see your own growth and benefit from it. Then find a place you can cooperate with others for a common goal. Enjoy life.
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
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