Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Speak Up or Shut Up?

The fiery political anger and fear in our USA election rhetoric raises the old question, speak up or shut up? Searching for an answer, I see relationships that ended when I delivered well intended but uncomfortable messages and others that grew deeper and stronger.

I usually avoid public displays of political bias except when to do so seems just plain immoral. This is one of those times.

I am very concerned about the influence of Fox News on my fellow citizens. I watch an actual speech on CSPAN and then watch a commentator on Fox News select a sound bite and spin the message in the opposite direction -- over and over.

I see the same thing on CNBC and CNN but to a much lesser degree.

That is why I urge everyone who watches the Democratic Convention to please view the actual event on CSPAN and make up your own informed mind. I hope we can share opinions and ideas across party and ideological lines and remain friends.

I hope this heartfelt concern will strengthen our relationship. If not, I'm sorry to see us part.

Wishing you inspired and informed voting.

Mandy



Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Who Irritates You?

I recently spent time with someone I'm tempted to say irritates the hell out of me, like chalk on a blackboard. Only I know I'm the one doing the irritating; he's just being him. It's my chalk and my blackboard -- all screeching and scritching up to me.

I decided to make the leap from knowing to acting as if how I react really is up to me. I kept the chalk in my pocket and simply remained present. I had to remind myself to breathe and keep-chalk-in-pocket a couple of times. And guess what? I had a good time.

Note to self and you: good times may await just beyond your memories of hard times and views of present injustice. The other thing I noticed was that without rancor, instead of stifling my irritated comments, I was able to speak much more directly and freely.

I'm going to use this chalk-in-the pocket technique all the way through the election!

Cheering you on to chalk-on-blackboard free times.

With love,
Mandy