I am sad today. The news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing was sad, and to see the hate comments online was hurtful to me. The lack of respect for another human being is not something I can tolerate. It makes me not want to be a part of this world. Have we digressed to this level of human-ship? What happened to our dignity as a person? As an individual? Have we become this uber-entitled species that if we don’t get what we want, we stomp our feet like spoiled little brats until we do? And then we spit in your face when we get it because it wasn’t good enough.

Seems like an exaggeration, sadly it’s not.

For the past 5 years or so, I have watched us tolerate more divisiveness and hate than ever before. I have seen this predominantly in politics, where it became ok to bastardize an individual even if it isn’t true just to take the spotlight off themselves and for an unearned victory.

I have seen this in my personal life as well. People I once trusted as friends, for personal gain, have drawn lines in the sand and used whatever means to hurt me and others I know. When did this behavior become ok? When did it become ok to steal someone’s work and ride another’s coattails for personal gain? What happened to boundaries? What happened to mutual respect? What happened to sitting at a table and discussing issues and perhaps even agreeing to disagree but knowing there was understanding and respect for the other?

I have learned to pray for those who wish me harm and to have God’s light fill them as well. Not so they may see the error of their ways but so that they too may live a fulfilling life as a child of God.  That was a hard pill for me to swallow and what I’ve realized is in doing so, I have created peace of mind for myself. 

This is why I cannot watch the news. It bombards us every second of the day with so much pain,  hurt, and negativity. This is why I walk away from negative people around me.  This is why I spend more time alone to reenergize and recharge myself. 

We have to think and act differently. Father Richard Rohr, used the term “radical unity.’ Maybe this is the answer. We’d probably never consider working together, but perhaps it will take some extreme event to push us into a place where we must find a way to unite. For the betterment of the community. Perhaps imponderable to some degree, but one never knows. 

I’ll end here with this quote from Father Rohr: “We are living in a time when the Holy Grail quest is no longer real. People are unsure of the goal, insecure in their search for meaningful patterns, and unconvinced of their divine origins. It is a major crisis of meaning.”