WTF? Ok, so you miss a call on your phone. You look at the number and you don’t recognize it. What do you do? Do you call the number? Do you ignore it and wait for them to call back? How about no matter WHAT you choose to do, do it POLITELY! Why is it necessary to call back the number and AS SOON as the person picks up you say “Who’s this?!?” in a very crass, rude, accusatory tone. Or better yet “You caaalled me?” or “you called this number???!!!!” …in that same CRASS, RUDE, ACCUSATORY tone.
What the heck is happening to MANNERS in this country? Forget gas prices for a second….forget health care….forget all of that….what happened to basic, elementary MANNERS! What happened to “treat others how you want to be treated”? Because no matter who it was who called you, they’re a HUMAN BEING! They have feelings, they have a job to do and believe it or not people still can dial the wrong number. That doesn’t mean they deserve to be talked to like a piece of trash. So the next time you go to return a call you missed that you don’t quite know who it is who called, when you call back and someone answers, you try this “Hi, this is _____, I believe I missed a call from this number?” in a polite, inquisitory tone. And believe it or not, if it’s that bill collector you’re afraid it is, you can still just. hang. up.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Amazement...
An email that I sent a friend of mine actually inspired me to write this blog......
I have a friend that is going through one of the most painful things anyone could ever go through....out of respect for that friend I am not going to go into details as to what that is or who the friend is. I admire this person more than they'll probably ever know and could only wish to have strengh like theirs one day. It's always amazing to me how one can endure so much pain and still muster up the strength everday for their family. In a recent post, my friend questioned their relationship with God and thought there would be some negative feedback from readers......I too have always had a "unique" situation with God / Religion / Faith. This was my response to my dear, dear friend.....(edited just a little for privacy reasons)
"Ok. So I know you were expecting some sort of negative feedback, but….you’re human. I myself have
struggled with God for a very long time. My mom never really pushed any sort of religion on me or my sister, so I’ve always said I was sort of left to just “figure it out on my own”. And that figuring out on my own didn’t really get me too far. I’ve seen so many horrible things in my life leaving me to question "if there is a God how can this happen?” Which I’m sure is something along the lines of the way you think.
I still don’t know what I believe when it comes to Him. I’m with you on the fact that I do believe that there is some sort of higher being…there has to be. There are a lot of amazing things in life that define us or make us immensely happy and that has to come from somewhere. Things like the innocence of a child or a random, kind act from a stranger. There is good in this world and I know you know that. But that doesn’t make explaining the bad or finding the “reason” in the bad any easier.
Me and God are no longer speaking either, I don’t know if we ever TRULY have. I have my reasons. I thought I went through enough “shit” when I was a kid when it came to my childhood and my health and honestly, getting my spleen out I thought was the end to all of that. But fast forward 7 years – a healthy, relatively happy 24 year old going through, to me, excruciating pain and it taking forever the find the answer of what was wrong with me. Why does one have to go through that? I’m not a bad person. I do good things. When I see a homeless person begging for money on the side of the street, I’m not a naysayer and I don’t down him for the choices he’s made, I roll down my window and give him a dollar or two…sometimes five if he’s looking in need of a few beers instead of just one :) And it never fails…whenever I do that I get the same response: “God Bless You”. Which baffles me. How can someone poor, hungry and homeless have a relationship with God. If I were him I’d be more angry. But I also find myself a little jealous of that relationship as well.
The caveat to all of that is this – sometimes I struggle when I do have tough times of really wishing I had someone, something to turn to when I feel like things are a little more than I can take. But I’ve never been able to fully “let go and let God” so to speak. I’ve had many of conversations with believers and to me, I just don’t get it. I really want to get it and maybe one day I will. I also get a little resentful towards God. Like if something really good happens to me and people tell me “thank Jesus” or whatever, I’m like “excuse me, I’m the one that did it, I’m the one that fought for it”. Even with my Lupus when I’m doing well and people think God played a hand in that somehow…I’m like “I’m the one taking my medicine, I’m the one who has changed how I eat and changed how I live, I’m the one who fights through the pain everyday….God shouldn’t get credit for that and “HE’S THE ONE THAT GAVE IT TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!” See. Bad, huh?
Now, I just sort of realized I started rambling a little bit….but the point to all of this is I want you to know you’re not alone in your thoughts. Geez, if you did put ALL of your faith in Him, I would actually be worried. And it’s funny…when I tell someone I’ll keep them in my “prayers”, it’s more so a response of what I feel is expected to say. How do I, in that moment, explain my relationship with God? I can’t say “Oh, I don’t truly pray so good luck with that”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do have my private thoughts when it comes to WISHING someone well and truly wanting the best positive outcome, but I just don’t necessarily know if it’s a prayer per se. Like your situation for instance…I think of you guys every day. And now that I’m able to be a little more honest, I HOPE for your family every day. I HOPE that you continue to find the strength you need, I HOPE every day is a little better than the previous, I HOPE HOPE HOPE for your beautiful boys life :) And personally, I think HOPE can be a pretty strong thing, so I guess hope is my version of prayer :)
Stay strong beautiful friend and give that amazing boy a kiss from me and just know that it’s the support, strength, love and HOPE from your family and friends that, to me, is most important."
I have a friend that is going through one of the most painful things anyone could ever go through....out of respect for that friend I am not going to go into details as to what that is or who the friend is. I admire this person more than they'll probably ever know and could only wish to have strengh like theirs one day. It's always amazing to me how one can endure so much pain and still muster up the strength everday for their family. In a recent post, my friend questioned their relationship with God and thought there would be some negative feedback from readers......I too have always had a "unique" situation with God / Religion / Faith. This was my response to my dear, dear friend.....(edited just a little for privacy reasons)
struggled with God for a very long time. My mom never really pushed any sort of religion on me or my sister, so I’ve always said I was sort of left to just “figure it out on my own”. And that figuring out on my own didn’t really get me too far. I’ve seen so many horrible things in my life leaving me to question "if there is a God how can this happen?” Which I’m sure is something along the lines of the way you think.
I still don’t know what I believe when it comes to Him. I’m with you on the fact that I do believe that there is some sort of higher being…there has to be. There are a lot of amazing things in life that define us or make us immensely happy and that has to come from somewhere. Things like the innocence of a child or a random, kind act from a stranger. There is good in this world and I know you know that. But that doesn’t make explaining the bad or finding the “reason” in the bad any easier.
Me and God are no longer speaking either, I don’t know if we ever TRULY have. I have my reasons. I thought I went through enough “shit” when I was a kid when it came to my childhood and my health and honestly, getting my spleen out I thought was the end to all of that. But fast forward 7 years – a healthy, relatively happy 24 year old going through, to me, excruciating pain and it taking forever the find the answer of what was wrong with me. Why does one have to go through that? I’m not a bad person. I do good things. When I see a homeless person begging for money on the side of the street, I’m not a naysayer and I don’t down him for the choices he’s made, I roll down my window and give him a dollar or two…sometimes five if he’s looking in need of a few beers instead of just one :) And it never fails…whenever I do that I get the same response: “God Bless You”. Which baffles me. How can someone poor, hungry and homeless have a relationship with God. If I were him I’d be more angry. But I also find myself a little jealous of that relationship as well.
The caveat to all of that is this – sometimes I struggle when I do have tough times of really wishing I had someone, something to turn to when I feel like things are a little more than I can take. But I’ve never been able to fully “let go and let God” so to speak. I’ve had many of conversations with believers and to me, I just don’t get it. I really want to get it and maybe one day I will. I also get a little resentful towards God. Like if something really good happens to me and people tell me “thank Jesus” or whatever, I’m like “excuse me, I’m the one that did it, I’m the one that fought for it”. Even with my Lupus when I’m doing well and people think God played a hand in that somehow…I’m like “I’m the one taking my medicine, I’m the one who has changed how I eat and changed how I live, I’m the one who fights through the pain everyday….God shouldn’t get credit for that and “HE’S THE ONE THAT GAVE IT TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!” See. Bad, huh?
Now, I just sort of realized I started rambling a little bit….but the point to all of this is I want you to know you’re not alone in your thoughts. Geez, if you did put ALL of your faith in Him, I would actually be worried. And it’s funny…when I tell someone I’ll keep them in my “prayers”, it’s more so a response of what I feel is expected to say. How do I, in that moment, explain my relationship with God? I can’t say “Oh, I don’t truly pray so good luck with that”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do have my private thoughts when it comes to WISHING someone well and truly wanting the best positive outcome, but I just don’t necessarily know if it’s a prayer per se. Like your situation for instance…I think of you guys every day. And now that I’m able to be a little more honest, I HOPE for your family every day. I HOPE that you continue to find the strength you need, I HOPE every day is a little better than the previous, I HOPE HOPE HOPE for your beautiful boys life :) And personally, I think HOPE can be a pretty strong thing, so I guess hope is my version of prayer :)
Stay strong beautiful friend and give that amazing boy a kiss from me and just know that it’s the support, strength, love and HOPE from your family and friends that, to me, is most important."
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