Online Obsession

Every day I try to log on to my social media accounts, I see obsession with particular individual or world events.  No, I'm not going to name them because it is secondary to what I am writing.  The obsession online is mind boggling.  It seems to be all that anyone can talk about, focus on or share with everyone.

I just don't get it.  Unless everyone is locked into the trauma of the situation, isn't there more to this life and the world?  Does every waking moment need to be about one person or one event or one whatever it may be?  I know, that's a rhetorical question.

Of course, social media tends to be for the most part about superficial topics.  We go from one sensationalized headline to another, one celebrity to another, all the time oblivious to what our life is really like.

If you can't tell, I don't follow 99% of that stuff online.  We don't have cable anymore and from what I see playing out in social media, I don't think I'm missing a thing.  I don't watch the TV news - not any of the TV stations, so I don't get swept up into the frenzy of fear most days.

There is good online...

Yes, there is some great stuff online in social media where it is truly trying to make a difference.  This obsession online though with the repeated over and over single focus drives me insane.  It serves no purpose, but everyone has to eat, breathe and depend upon what is being fed to them.

I'm not saying you have to give it up but maybe it is more helpful to find some balance in our day.  It doesn't do your mind and body any good to stay this engaged in the fear and hyped up engagements of the day.  It isn't good for your nervous system, your overall health and your mental health.  It is damaging if you stay in this stuff every day.

Yes, I know it isn't easy walking away from it.  Everyone thinks they have to like, share, and post it all day long.  If you go to YouTube it is there.  If you go to websites, ads pop up with all of it.

Another world outside of this...

If you can begin to step away from it, you'll find that there is another world outside of this.  There is a world that exists which is much more deep and fulfilling than this online obsession.

It reminds me of a city I lived in, who had to build up the barriers between the cars on the expressways.  If there was an accident or a car stopped and people going the opposite direction could see it, traffic would back up.  It was like everyone had to just look and see the accident, even though it was usually horrible to view.

We are like that online.  Even though we think it is horrible or it makes us fearful, we stay so engaged to it.  It is like a deer in the headlights.

We need balance and we need it badly.  No, it doesn't begin with everyone else.  It begins within each one of us.  What we choose to take in each day says so much.  If we are engaged in that which we so despise, then we are just as much a part of the problem as that which we complain about in our day.

#OnlineSocialMedia 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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Are You Asleep Online

So, if you read yesterday's blog post from June 13, 2017, this is the point where we jump into things a little deeper.  Are you asleep online?  That's the question, so let's expand upon what I briefly described as an example.

Here's an excerpt from yesterday:

Joe goes browsing through his many social media accounts and only reads a few words.  Rather than reading the whole thing or reading the link behind it, Joe furiously types on his keypad making his point known in response. (click to read the whole example)

We've all been there and done this.  One time doesn't mean much of anything, because we can get so busy that the social media feeds through quicker than what we can keep up with.  If you look at the number of followers I have, you'll understand why my news feed on Twitter zips by quickly.

However, this is more deep than just missing something.  This is not really reading or seeing what is before us, but only taking less than minimal effort to exist in the space of online social media.  Yes, online social media is designed to get us to react, not necessarily think about all the edges of where we are.

Sometimes we need to stop and slow down and think through what it is that we read.  Sometimes we don't have to click on everything we see, and engage.  We end up shortchanging ourselves and the person that shares stuff, which is not respectful at all.

However, in this case, we are far too quick to respond as if we have all the answers, rather than saying, "what can I learn from this" or "how can I apply it to my life?"  Yes, I know, there are far too many memes and thoughts circulated on Twitter and Facebook, but we do need to apply filters.

Just going through the motions of reading without fully seeing all that we are reading is behavior that has us asleep online rather than awake.  It is up to us to engage in a way that is honoring to ourselves and others.  No one can do that for us.  It is solely up to our own choices in how we proceed.

Online social media like Twitter and Facebook should be tools to help enhance our lives, not distract from what it means to be human.  If we want to be awake, it must start within each one of us, for what we do makes up the collective online social media experience.  Let us be awake, rather than asleep.

Make sure you check out the next part in this 11 part series

 Part 3 is "Asleep With The Latest News"

 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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Are Humans Really That Hateful

I see a meanness online these days and it truly bothers me.  If you think I should not be bothered by it, then this blog post is not for you.  In fact, I just got called out for caring about what gets forced in front of our eyes every day.  You can't avoid it, unless you just don't go online.

I have to wonder though, are humans as hateful as they show online?  Do they really hate others as much as their words and actions show?  Or is there a major disconnect and the what people show online is different than they actually are?

My next question would lead me to authenticity.  If you can't be the same online that you are in person to your friends, coworkers and acquaintances, then which persona should we believe?  Who really are you?

I think this matters greatly because by treating each other with so much hatred while proclaiming we are great individuals, is extremely harmful to the world-at-large.  Words, actions, and thoughts do matter.  A thought born out of love can really help someone's day while thoughts born out of hate can really incite significant pain upon others.

We can't just sit back and hide our heads in the sand, because it truly matters.  How we treat others is propagated on to other people many times over.  It hurts.  It harms.  It keeps people hunkering down in their caves of anxiety and depression.

How we treat others is what helps this world advance or decline!  I'm sorry if that goes against your beliefs and opinions, but you can just take a look at humanity through the ages and see how true this is. 

The world is difficult enough on our good days and if we can't walk hand-in-hand together towards a better outcome, will this world even make it?  If we stand opposed and fight and nitpick and manipulate with our opinions and beliefs, may the world somehow survive because the odds are against it in this scenario.

Yes, it does matter if we truly understand whether humans are really that hateful with one another.  To ignore this, is being part of the problem that self-propagates throughout online social media.  We had better wake up before it is too late.  In this case, there will not be any do overs.

#Hate

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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Lazy Online Communication Of Likes and Shares

That's it!  I get tired of seeing this every day.  The mindless chatter online and the statements or likes that say absolutely nothing, add absolutely nothing and do nothing for a day.  Online social media has made us anything but social.

In fact, I think we should just stop writing words online.  Instead, the only thing we should be able to do is "LIKE", "SHARE", and "FORWARD" or insert a smiley face.  No one reads the words most of the time.  I can't believe some of the stuff I've seen.

Life is surely more than giving someone a smiley face or emoji.  Life is surely more than a like on Facebook or Twitter.  Life is surely more than mindlessly sharing things all day on social media while not even knowing what the shared things say.

We could be so much more...

Modern technology could make us so much better, but we have gone the route of lazy in our online communications.  We've gone the way of injecting almost no meaning into what we share and like and write.  All too often, we are not even humans most days online, but we give a smiley or a like in proof that we are.

Can we not do better?  Can we  not rise to the occasion before us?  Doesn't life deserve more?  Doesn't life demand more?  We are failing life - each and every one of us.  We are not human these days.  We are only acting as if we are human.

Consciousness has taken a back door...

Consciousness has taken a back door, but we share our simplistic memes and thoughts as if we are conscious.  Awareness has exited the building.  Compassion is something that we claim we do, but our actions say the opposite.

I'm frustrated with what I see in a day.  I desire for humans to be more than they are and be all that they can be.  Settling for second best is not the desire I have for this world.
 

Let us find ways to use technology to bring out the best in each other, not resort to mindless chatter and name calling.  Let us find ways to use technology to help advance our human civilization, not destroy it with lazy communication that means almost nothing.

That's my rant.  I know, the words will probably fall on ears that cannot hear.  Maybe everyone will prove me wrong and ignorant on this subject.  I may just be preaching to the choir!

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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Are You Asleep?

Every day I'm reminded of the point of this blog series, and I see it show up online.  However, it happens more than just online in social media.  The question we all need to ask ourselves every day is "are we asleep?"

Sure, I bet everyone will go, "No, I'm not asleep, but boy have you looked at everyone else?" 

We would go on to say, "Have you seen what this person has done or that person.  Have you seen what is going on?"  

Yet, we would claim, "we are enlightened" and "intelligent" and "awake".

Unfortunately that is what our ego leads us to believe.  It disguises what we think reality is while hiding the true view of what being awake really is.  It gets us to believe that what we chase in a day is the best thing for us rather than what actually is.

Here Are Some Examples

1. Joe - Asleep Online

   This is one of the big ones online.  Joe goes browsing through his many social media accounts and only reads a few words.  Rather than reading the whole thing or reading the link behind it, Joe furiously types on his keypad making his point known in response.  Often, the point made has absolutely nothing to do with what the link is about, but "Hey Dude, you're asking a little too much out of me because I can't be bothered with seeing the whole picture.  I'd rather stay asleep."   (Read more: Are You Asleep Online)  posts on 6/14/17
    

2. Louise - Latest News Of The Day

   Louise spends her free time keeping up with the latest news story of the day.  Louise tells herself that she has to keep up on all the latest news.  If she doesn't, she might miss something important.  Yet, she doesn't realize that the news is just sucking her into this dark hole of fear that takes the life from her, leaving her asleep. (Read more: Latest News Of The Day) - posts on 6/15/17.  
    

3. Thomas - You're Wrong, I'm Right

   Thomas thinks that he has to convince everyone just how wrong they are.  It is his duty to show them the error of their ways and not stop until they realize that.  For he knows that his world and everything else in the world depends upon his insight and knowledge.  No one else sees things truly like he does and he believes that all are asleep.  Thomas will not consider for a moment that he is asleep.  (Read more:  You're Wrong, I'm Right) - posts on 6/16/17
    

4. Josephine - Burning The Candle

   Josephine thinks that she can burn the candle at both ends of the stick.  She knows the boss needs something, and the kids have their activities and places to be.  Of course, her husband has expectations for her as well.  She can't let anyone down.  She is the only one that can do the things she does and she often complains how she never has enough help and she's the only one doing everything.  It doesn't dawn on her that she is asleep.  (Read more:  Burning The Candle) - posts 6/20/17
    

5. Mortimer - Pain And Difficulty

   Mortimer thinks that life is just about pain and difficulty.  He goes to his doctor appointments and takes the medications that his doctor prescribes.  He knows that the doctor knows best and so he doesn't question if there is anything different he needs to do in his life.  He just follows the advice without question.  Mortimer thinks he has solved his health issues through medication but what he doesn't realize is he is asleep.  (Read more:  Pain And Difficulty) - posts 6/21/17
    

6. Amy Lou - What We Put In Our Body

   Amy Lou thinks that eating healthy is just something those new age people do.  After all, she knows that every now and then she eats a salad when she goes out to eat.  Yes, she is health conscious because she drinks her diet sodas and consumes the low fat snacks and food as stated on the packaging of the food item.  Water is something she gets when drinking her coffee, but not something that she drinks regularly.  Her body reacts with headaches and fatigue, but she blames this on stress and age, not on being asleep. (Read more:  What We Put In Our Body) - posts 6/22/17
    

7. Frank - Connected To The Job

   Frank thinks that taking time off is a good thing, but he is always too busy for that.  He knows even if he tries to take time off, his email and phone will be buzzing day and night.  Plus when he gets back to the office, he will have twice the work to catch up on, so time off becomes a dream.  Yes, his employer forces him to take at least one week a year away from the office, but he's constantly checking email and working on projects.  He doesn't realize he is asleep. (Read more:  Constantly Connected To The Job) - posts on 6/23/17
    

8. Sally - Asleep By Smart Phone

   Sally loves her brand new smart phone that she got for Christmas.  It makes it so easy to keep up with her friends and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Every free moment she gets, Sally is on the phone.  She feels so good.  It keeps her company.  When she is bored or just needs an escape, out comes the phone.  It helps her while sitting there waiting in a restaurant or when friends are chatting.  She can just go to her happy and safe place with her phone.  Yes, it is disconnecting from everyone, but hey she is still there present with them, although asleep. (Read more:  Asleep By Smartphone) - posts on 6/27/17
   
   

9. Donnie - Feeling Pain In The Body

   Donnie thinks everything is going fine.  He goes to the gym, works hard around the yard at home, and pretty much thinks everything is okay.  He sees others struggling with body aches and pains and thinks, "I'm glad I'm not like them."   After all, he doesn't have time to deal with pains in his body.  There is just too much too accomplish.   Yeah, he gets an occasional headache maybe, but for the most part he has absolutely no pain in his body.  His body is 100% pain free.  Unfortunately, that's a good sign of how asleep Donnie is. (Read more:  Feeling Pain In The Body) - posts on 6/28/17
    

10. Mirabel - Asleep By Happy Thoughts

    Mirabel knows that life can be very difficult, but she will not let that ruin her life.  She shows positivity to everyone around her.  Even if she is so sick she can barely stand up, she puts the smile on for everyone she meets.  After all, it is up to her to set a positive example of what being happy is all about and she sure can't let anyone down.  She can't show anyone that her life is anything but happiness.  So she only shows the happy smile and shares happy thoughts online, avoiding anything and everything that is hard for her to deal with in her life.  Unfortunately Mirabel doesn't realize just how asleep she is.  (Read more: Asleep By Happy Thoughts) - posts on 6/29/17
     

These are all examples of being asleep in life, rather than being fully aware and conscious.  We all have our moments where we are asleep, but it should be our endeavor each day to awaken more and more.

Being fully aware and conscious is not just an exercise for the mind.  We may focus on that and we may only know that route, but this requires a connection between the mind and body.  It is where we discover more of who we are, as we let go of the ego.  It is where we become grounded so that we can soar.

Many of the things that concern us in a day really don't matter in the grand scheme of our life as much as we think they do.  We have allowed our ego to tell us that all of this matters, but the ego is feeding us an illusion as if it were reality.

We often tell ourselves that what we believe is true, yet we fail to stop and see that our own paradigms and beliefs are holding us back.  They are locking us into a box, rather than helping us grow and discover how awake we could be.

I'll try to take each one of these examples and expand more upon it them the coming days.  If one of them resonates with you, there's a good chance that there is a reason it does.  Some of these are firsthand examples from my own life that I have had to deal with, so don't feel like you're alone.

Being human is not about being asleep. Instead it is a continual journey of discovering more of who we are and what makes us human.  The more we open our eyes from our sleep, the more the world looks differently.

Make sure you check out the next part in this 11 part series

 Part 2 is "Are You Asleep Online"

 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Are We Part Of The Problem?

Some days it is hard to be silent.  I see things posted and I so badly want to jump in the fray and force my screams and rants on everyone else.  Sometimes it is all I can do to hold myself back.

However, if I go off and do the screaming, ranting, and mocking that is so prevalent on the internet, then am I any better than the ones that I decry who do this?  I believe if I go out and do that which I abhor, then I'm not any better.  You can't chastise others if you're doing the same as them.

In fact, if I join the screaming and yelling online, I am really being condescending. It would be the same as me looking down at those who do this, while claiming I'm better.  Yet, I see this happen every day by every one it seems.  Online social media is filled with t his behavior.

I try hard to just not join in because to me, there is nothing to be gained.  No one is listening to anyone.  Everyone is calling each other names or saying despicable things about the ones they disagree with online.  So, what would I gain if I did the same thing?

Is that authentic and helpful?

I have a brother who goes to church on Sunday to a very fundamentalist church where they have all the answers and everyone else is lost and going to hell.  Yet, when you see his stuff he shares with others online, it is some of the most hateful things that I see posted.  He holds nothing back as to what he shares about those who don't think like him.  Is that helpful?  Is that authentic?  I think we could all answer those questions easily.

The thing is though, it isn't just my older brother.  It feels like it is everyone, not just of one belief or another.  If you don't go and respond to the bull-crap that's spewed on the internet, my hat is off to you.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure there are many that don't do this.  It is just too wide spread out there.

We give very little value to humanity...

If we are going to see everyone as either agreeing with us or not, then we give very little value to humanity.  If we are going to see everyone as being for or against us or some viewpoint, then we give very little value to humanity.  Surely we can be more than that as humans!

With what I've seen online, I'm so turned off to all of this.  No one is listening to the other.  It is just a free-for-all on all sides, not just one side.  Yes, there are some that act horribly, but if you engage with them, what does that say about you?  If you try to bully a bully on a playground, are you any better than the bully you despise?

I'm afraid that if we don't pull our daggers back in, we're going to cause irreparable harm to not only our country, but this world and more importantly, humanity.  We can't wait for the others to come around to whatever viewpoint we have.

We need to start acting like humans that are here to work together.  We need to show the love for one another like we claim to have for everyone.  We need to learn what really matters in a day and what is nothing more than noise on the continuum of life.

#TreatOneAnother 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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The Things People Say

I am completely amazed some days.  What humans do often tend to baffle me, but they are peculiar creatures.  The things people say are one of the things that often baffles me to the point where I question the evolution of our species in a positive way.

Things that people say are often not thought out.  They just blurt out (especially online in social media), whatever comes to their mouth or fingers.  Their brains don't even have a moment to filter or cross check the bit of communication.  It is just say it because they can.

Empathy or respect is missing...

Empathy or respect or consideration is not present when people say things to one another.  It is like, I'm going to tell you what I think I must say regardless of thinking how it might affect you.  It is like speaking and writing without even considering if this is the best way to bring things out.

Often, much of the things people say are just not needed.  If they stayed silent, the earth would still continue.  If they didn't bloviate, the sun would still rise and set.  Yet, these days everyone thinks that the world needs to know every thought they have.  They think that everyone needs to know their point of view.

Stop and think for a moment...

If we could all just stop and think for a moment before we type something online or say something, it would help the world in ways no one can even imagine.  It would make the world a much more peaceful place.  It would improve the intelligence of our communication.

I don't understand the need for humans to say some of the things they say online.  Most of it is hurtful and disrespectful and just not good for the advancement of a society.  It is done without regard for others, and is the ego screaming at full strength by the person speaking or writing the words.

 

(click here to read)

How much better we could be if we learned to respect one another.  How much better could we be if we thought a moment before we opened our mouth or commented online.  How much better could we be if communication was a perfected art, rather than the lowest common denominator.

My question to you that I leave is, how do you watch what you say?  Do you monitor it and are respectful, or do you let it rip - especially online?  Comment below and let me know.  I'd love to hear from you.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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How We Treat One Another

Some days I feel like I'm writing for the heck of it.  It is almost like my words mean nothing and fall on deaf ears.

I see the hatred shared online from people who despise the hatred.  I see people getting angry acting as if I should only post stuff that they like and God forbid we don't see things the same way.

How we treat one another these days is mind boggling.  How we censor others is mind boggling.  How we get up on our pedestals and somehow demand others treat us as if we have all the answers is mind boggling.

We have replaced love with hate.  We have replaced our religious beliefs with intolerance.  We have denigrated those that wish to speak up by making them out to be horrible people we make fun of and call names.

What gives here? 

Where is our humanness?

Where is the love we proclaim we have?

We can't walk down both sides of the fence at one time.  We can't proclaim we love others and we want tolerance if we throw mud at those who disagree with us.

Aren't we better than that?  Don't we realize that the more we do this online that we're just being anything but human?

Seems like I have more rhetorical questions than there are answers.  Maybe the answers are there, but no one wishes to see it or hear it.

Heck, I don't have all the answers either, but I at least try to not make fun of others.  I try to not degrade and mock other people.

Our social media accounts show our true nature I think.  If someone wrote a book about us based upon what we share and like online, I've got a feeling that many people would be doing damage control.

It is sad.  It angers me to see the way we treat each other, especially online.  It angers me to see people talk about love and respect and tolerance, but then they go and do the same thing they despise.

It almost, no it does, remind me of the house I grew up in with the church-going-family who hated everyone that didn't think like them.  Maybe that's why this bothers me so much.  I have already lived this once in my life.

Little did I know, I would have to relive it again.  Where's the spaceship - I want to find a new planet that has tolerance and love, not hatred disguised as love.

May we all try a little harder to share a little less online and love a little more.  That's my hope!

Maybe we could work to be a little bit more conscious and aware.  After all, those things are not evident because of words, but because of the actions we portray.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Do You Want To Be Concsious Online?

Written By Don Shetterly

I'm sitting here in frustration at the moment watching what happens online every day.  I see it and keep hoping it will change, but the needle seems to be going in the negative direction.  So, I'm left to wonder, do people want to be conscious?

Somedays, it seems like social media is nothing more than a rant about political beliefs.  The world could be ending in this very second, and all anyone seems to care about is the latest tirade on Twitter or the grabbing headline of the day.  There is no in-depth analysis.  It is what people hear that they regurgitate no matter how hard they try to convince others they make up their own minds.  Sorry, the evidence shows the contrary.

People want to be concerned about mental health, depression, suicide and anxiety among other health situations.  I applaud this.  I think it needs to be talked about, but far too often it means nothing more than a retweet or like on social media.  The conversation doesn't continue.  It only ticks up the counters in the tweet or post.  I see this in stuff especially about suicide I have posted.  It gets clicks, but that's as far as it goes.

What does it matter?

There are so many games played online with people where if you click this, I'll follow you back.  Oh look, I can buy more followers.  Oh look, people, see how much I can spend online to get a lot of retweets, likes, and comments.  At the end of the day, what does that matter?  What have you accomplished that changed your life or the world?

Don't you dare say anything that doesn't fit into everyone's beliefs because it would be too uncomfortable if we could discuss with someone who holds opposing thoughts?  It doesn't matter if it is hot-button issues or simple things, I've seen the sudden drop online because of it.  I don't necessarily look for those that agree with me, but I just look for those that respect others.  We can hold differing viewpoints, but we're still fellow humans traveling on this earth.

Many people online act as if they have the only answer.  They are the experts.  They know the truth.  There is nothing else or anything that they could possibly entertain.  So, once again I ask, do people want to be conscious?

Some give lip service...

I really wonder if people do because I see very few that attempt to do this.  Some give lip service to it.  Some make it appear they do, but it is the same thing as if you have a glass house thinking no one can see inside.

It isn't about what other people want and what they do either.  It is about each one of us and what we want.  Do you want to be conscious?  Are you willing to go the distance and be conscious?  Are you ready to step away from all you know, all you have been taught and your beliefs to be conscious?

I mean, are you ready to challenge everything you know and drop what no longer serves you?  No, I don't say you do this if it agrees with you, but if it makes you uncomfortable.  I mean, if it makes you question things that are not easy.  It is where we begin to find consciousness.  We do not find it in the safety of our routine lives.

Diminished what was written...

I posted something about the topic of what is truth.  One person immediately without reading it said it is a religious thing.  They did not even entertain what the blog post was about but was so quick to state their belief rather than be informed.  They diminished what was written by their own unconsciousness.  They were not showing love or compassion or understanding.

So, once again I ask, Do you want to be conscious?  I'm not going to let anyone off the hook on this blog post.  I know this is a hard question.  I know we want to say, of course, we do, but in all reality - is that true?

I too struggle with this daily, and I think that is a good thing.  If you want to be conscious, but you don't wade into the water, you may need to work on being more honest with yourself.  See, we fool ourselves into thinking that we are more than what we are.  We kid ourselves into believing that we have everything together while we hide and ignore, numb and disconnect to what is the truth around us.

Deeper than we currently see...

Consciousness is not just a thought process.  It means being connected to our mind, body, emotions, thoughts, and the higher spiritual side of where we fit in this world.  Consciousness is not just a meme we retweet or the fake smile we paste on our face.  It is more than spouting our own beliefs as if everyone else should think like us.  It is deeper than we currently see and if we think we are conscious, we most likely are a long way off.

Consciousness means we go in and become aware of all parts of our life, even the most uncomfortable ones.  Where fear is afraid to tread, that's where we go to become more aware and conscious.

It is up to each one of us how we live our life.  If we spend every waking minute worrying about the latest tirade of the day, we're not helping the world.  We're adding to the problem.  The world and human civilization have serious issues, and it is looking for people to step up to the plate and help solve these problems.  Unfortunately, we have a world that is screaming at one another.  Nothing is being resolved.

Through your actions...

Do you want to be conscious?  It isn't a yes or no answer.  It is how you live in a day and what you do through your actions that give the answers.  It is where you focus your time and help and love, not just how much you act as if you do.  Conscious means doing more and being more than you were yesterday and not as far as tomorrow.  It is a daily commitment, not a one time retweet or like or post.

I write because I want to see the world and human civilization wake up.  No, I'm not referring to politics or religion.  I mean, waking up from the inside out.  Learning how to live not only in your mind but in your body.  Seeing that your life is led by a heart that is fully open, not close or semi-open from the trials of life.

I write because I want to make a difference.  I don't care about many of the issues most get frantic about these days.  Those are temporary unconscious events that only bring out the worst in people.  I'm more concerned with how you deal with your health and mental well-being.  The overall love and acceptance of others are what matters to me, not the judgment and condemnation we shove in other people's faces.

Do you want to be conscious?  If you do, make sure your actions and thoughts and your words work in that direction.  See the big picture, not the moment by moment parts of life that do not advance the civilization of this universe.  See that consciousness begins deep inside of you and radiates out for all to observe.

I'll leave you with this question one last time because I just want you to think about it.  The answer is not as important as the process of contemplation.  Do You Want To Be Conscious?

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Blog Post And Images (c) 11/9/2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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Forked Tongues and Authenticity

I grew up in a home where we were told one thing and yet witnessed something totally different by that individual.  It was commonplace for people to speak with forked tongue.

Often these same people that railed against doublespeak were the ones that did it the most.  There was no authenticity, even though they believed that they were authentic.  They felt that what they told others was what mattered, not what they practiced in their own life.

I see this playing out in almost every minute of our day.  Whether it is in politics, on the TV, or online, I hardly see "authenticity" showing up.  Yes, everyone thinks that it is the other person that does this, not them.  How foolish we are!

Like Judge Judy, I'm one of those people that can spot a liar a million miles away (or should I say someone that is not authentic.)  It takes me a split second.  Okay, maybe liar is a little too strong of a word here, but if your words don't match up with what I know about you or if they don't match up with your body language, I'm rolling my eyes.

The online inauthentic people...

Even when it comes to online, I can generally spot the "inauthentic" people quickly and I become wary of anything they say.  They often rail against certain things in life and those same things consume everything they share on social media.  Yet, they often do the very things they despise.

I quit watching the news years ago because it is nowhere near authentic.  I don't understand why anyone watches it these days and I mean "ANY" news.  Everyone goes to their corner of what they believe is true and the news media backs it up.  It isn't necessarily one side or the other on most issues.  It happens on both sides.  There is no authenticity in it whatsoever because it is so often for entertainment purposes.

Inauthentic Marketing...

Let's not forget the ones that equate marketing with spamming, trying to get you to buy their stuff even if it doesn't pass the sniff test.  Marketing these days has become a barrage of waste material constantly thrown at us.  It is not about what the person needs.  It is more about just shoving it down everyone's throat.  There is no authenticity in marketing these days.  It is cloaked in the forked tongue.

There are so many ways we speak with forked tongues but if you try to point that out, no one wants to truly listen.  If they listen, they don't always want to change.  We'd rather point the fingers at others than go in and do what we need to do to help make ourselves human.

I think that if you are authentic, it will show through.  You don't have to grandstand and prove to others you are authentic.  You just need to live your life through authenticity.  When you no longer speak with forked tongue, people will know they can trust what you say.  Whether that is online or in politics or the media and marketing, people will know it when they hear it.

I realize we live in a fake reality these days, but if we don't start turning the ship around and learning how to be human by being authentic, we're going to hit the iceberg and sink.  It isn't up to anyone else to do what needs to be done.  It is up to each one of us individually to take stock of our own life and make the changes necessary for the survival of this planet and our species.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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What We Show To The World

We all have a private side and a public side I think.  If someone doesn't, I'd be a little suspicious.  What we show to the world is often not what we show to those close to us.  Even what we show to those that are close to us, is not all we are.

There is the side of us that we show to the world in our professional life.  In many ways, it isn't our entire self because I'm sure a client or customer would not want to know or need to know some of the issues we have had to face in life.

There is the side of us that we show to the world that is our more personal side, but often if we show it to the world at large, we would be allowing people to trample our own personal boundaries.

What we show online...

There are also sides such as what we show online in social media or what we show to our significant other or best friends.  It might even be a side that we show to one circle we are involved with but for each different experience in life, there is something we show to the world and something we do not.

I'm always perplexed and amazed at what people show online in social media.  Often it is showing one side of themselves, while they try to prove there is something else that makes them tick.  All I have to do is look is no further than a sibling that professes one thing on Sunday and shows an entirely different thing through the things he shares online.

While there may be a need to not show everything to the world that we show to our most trusted friends and significant others, I think that sometimes we are not authentic in the way we should be.  There need not be major cover ups while trying to convince the world we are one thing, but in many ways we are not.

Your actions and words say much more...

Your actions and words say much more than what you try to project to the world.  You might think you are hiding the things from the world, but in many ways they are quite obvious for all to see.

As you go through your day, take into account what it is that you show to those close to you and the world.  Does one thing resemble the other or are the different images no where close to being in sync?

If you want to be taken as authentic, then you will want to be more aware and conscious of what you put out into the world.  Social media is a good indicator of what is truly within you or what you do when you're not conscious.

Make the world a better place by being authentic and really looking deep within your own soul to see what is there.  You won't make the world a better place by judging it and exclaiming all that others are doing wrong.  You will make it a better place by working on yourself over that of judging other people.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

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Top 10 Social Media Annoyances

Some days I scratch my head at what humans do.  Of all the brain cells that could function and make different choices, it seems that those brain cells must have fallen asleep.  These poor choices create annoyances on the internet.

I have compiled my top 10 online social media annoyances that I have found on both Twitter and Facebook.  In fact, I stopped using Facebook some time ago and it is like a breath of fresh air.  Twitter is almost as bad with these annoyances.

I really wish it was different where people could use social media for a balanced approach of good information, rather than seeing how much they can scam and spam everyone.  I know, there are some good people out there, but the bad ones far outweigh the good.

Top 10 Social Media Annoyances.

#1 Naked Pictures Doing Sex Acts

Don't call me a prude here!  That's not what this is about at all.  Its about having some of the most graphic sexual pictures show up on my news feed.  These aren't small pictures either so when they show up, you can't miss them.  If I am in a public place, it is very inappropriate and it more than crosses the boundaries.  Even if I am not in a public place, I really don't want to see this all day long in my feed.  Most of these people do get reported and blocked, but it makes me wonder why people think that everyone wants to see this.  It usually isn't a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence either as they plaster the news feed with them all day and all night.  Enough!  If that's all you are adding to civilization, you may want to rethink your role in humanity.

#2 Like My Other Social Media

I gave up on Facebook.  I got tired of so much fakeness on there and too much junk that was posted every minute.  Most of what is shared on Facebook isn't worth two seconds of our time.  Even the marketing people who value your time are the biggest time wasters on Facebook and Twitter.  They really don't offer much value, but they sure waste your time.  I don't do LinkedIn anymore either because I find the site ridiculous and hard to navigate.  When I add someone on Twitter and the only thing that they think is important is for me to add all their other social media sites, I have to wonder about them.  Why would I go to multiple social media sites to follow you.  Do you not think I have anything better to do with my day than that?  Again, I think it is a big time waster.  It is not good online marketing in my view, because when I see it happen, the individual is knocked down in my value list.

#3 Spamming The News Feed

Yes, I understand that you want to reach as many people as you can and not everyone is online at the same time.  However, when I see 5, 10, 20 posts one after another, I tend to completely ignore you and scroll past what it is that you are tweeting.  I'm sure we all have done this in a minor way, but I'm talking about the ones that must have drank 5 tall cups of coffee before coming on Facebook or Twitter.  There is more in a day to do than sit there and see this type of behavior.  If you have that big of an ego, then I'll do like I have always done and either "mute" you or "unfollow" you.  You're abusing the relationship I have with you online and that doesn't sit well in my book.

#4 TrueTwit Verification Nonsense

From what I can tell, using the TrueTwit verification service does very little.  Yet, I see it time and time again.  Maybe the people using this nonsense don't understand what the recipient gets, but let me tell you, it is an annoyance.  It is a nuisance.  I just ignore it now because if I followed you, then I want to read your posts.  I don't wish to jump through hoops to prove to you that I am a valid person.  Sorry, you are asking far too much from me and abusing the trust I have put in you to be on my news feed.

#5 The Fake Link

I get so annoyed by the fake link.  You've probably seen it also.  It is the link that you think will take you to something you might be interested to read.  The link that looks safe, but yet it is not.  It is the links that take you to some site that gets you to sign up for whatever it is that they are pushing.  Most of the time it has nothing to do with what they put in the post, but you don't know that until after you clicked on the link.  It makes me so leery to click on any links these days because I just got hit badly with malware.

#6 Overly Large Pictures

If I am reading my social media accounts on my desktop, the overly large pictures aren't such a problem.  If I am on my smart phone, then it becomes a bigger issue and annoyance.  I now have to scroll down past these.  Most of the time, the ones that post overly large pictures must think that one is not enough and so they post multiple pictures.  The pictures are posted one after another.  The larger the picture, the more difficult it is for me to read the other tweets in between because they almost get swallowed up by them.  Do everyone a favor and find some moderation.

#7 How Many Clicks Does It Take

I think back to the commercials of the lollipop and how many licks does it take to get to the center.  Recently, I had one that when I clicked on the link, it took me to a page without the information.  There was another link to the information that you had to click on.  When I clicked on that, it then took me to another twitter page with the same information as was in the original post.  I still don't know where the information was and I suspect it didn't exist.  It was just meant to get me to click.  What an annoyance!  I believe I rewarded that individual with an "unfollow" and that probably wasn't the result they were hoping for.

#8 Unsolicited Advice

I marvel at this one in real life and its also annoying online.  It happens so much.  The person that comes by and doesn't even read what you posted or an article you linked to or checked out your website, but boy do they have advice for you.  They are quick to tell you what you should do or should not do.  It doesn't matter if it applies or not, they will tell you anyway.  There are far too many noisy people who think they have all the answers.  If that were true, we would have no problems in this entire world!  Let your ego know that not everyone loves your unsolicited advice.  It turns people off and they most likely do like I do, click that unfollow button.

#9 Content Waste

Oh, those auto-generated articles on the internet that are such an annoyance.  If I wanted to read regurgitated content created by a program, I would read source code from a website.  It is such a waste of my time, but people who aren't creative, think that this is good marketing.  I'm sorry, but if you don't have something good to say, just sit in the corner and be quiet until you do.  I have no forgiveness for people who do this, because you are wasting my time and filling the internet up with trash.  Those that do this type of thing obviously do not value the people they are trying to sell to or get as a client.

#10 Pesky Questions And Requests

I am amazed at how many people send automated responses out and ask questions in them.  The thing is, if you respond, they never respond back.  I have gotten to the point where I am ignoring most of these things now which sucks if you're one of the good guys that doesn't do this.  If I just followed you, I'm not going to spend hours reviewing and critiquing your website for you to most likely disregard it anyway.  While you may think it is cute and intriguing to ask me some irrelevant question, I've found that you could care less if I am happy or what happened in my day or what topics I want to see you post about on your news feed.  Again, all these things are time wasters and they are not authentic.  They don't make me want to trust you.  In fact, they make me want to unfollow.

Final Thoughts

We are becoming a spam and scam society and with the internet, it makes our reach much more broad.  However, if you cannot be trusted and people see this in what you post, then you are not adding value to the internet.  You're not adding value to social media.  You are an annoyance.

Marketing is about offering something of value, not trying to get one over on the other person and make them click or cringe.  Marketing is about building relationships and showing the other person that you care enough to not waste their time.  Unfortunately very few online really understand marketing.

Try to offer value and information that others will be better for if they click and read what it is you share.  Make a difference by being authentic, not by being a scammer and spammer.  Its not hard to spot the ones that give little value to everyone who follows or subscribes to them.  Be human by being real.  The internet community will thank you!

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

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040216

Stand Opposed

Written By Don Shetterly

These days it feels like everyone hates one another.  I'm not sure there is anything but hatred these days.  So much is shared online of how we should love one another.  We say it to those who agree with us, but the premise remains the same.

If you're not in a specific thought bubble on whatever subject it is on, then somehow you're a bad person.  You're wrong and stupid and all the other adjectives that one could list here.  That's how it is portrayed online each and every day.

It isn't just about one subject that gets screamed about every day.  I've seen it lately from things that you wouldn't expect it to things that do not seem to be controversial.  As I've found, don't you dare disagree because you are the one that will be outcast.

Far too much of this comes from those who don't want to discuss issues but think everything they say is right (and all others are wrong).  Much of this comes from those who profess love and acceptance of everyone, but give them an online comment and they will get down in the mud pit with everyone else.

See, I think these statements about love, acceptance, and rising above everyone is just codeword for you don't agree with me and I don't want to talk to you.  I may be wrong, but I see more and more evidence of this.

If we just stand opposed on every subject under the sun, then how does that make us a civilization?  How are we a part of the human experience if we only want to hear the things that we agree within a day?

Sure, everyone says they want this, but far too few actually put it into action.  Remember when you get down in the mud pit of life and wrestle with everyone, no one can tell you apart.  Everyone in the mud pit looks like the other.

We've got enough issues in this world and to create more just for the sake of screaming along with the crowd, that's not being human.  In fact, that is ego driven in my view.  It is born out of fear that overtakes a person.  Human is a long ways off.

I wish this world would jam the gear in reverse, but I'm afraid we're going to go through some painful experiences before things reverse.  No one cares about one another these days (unless it is someone in your own tribe).  No one knows how to show respect for each other.  Yes, they can spout off memes, thoughts, and bible verses showing how loving and compassionate they are.

Maybe we just need to step back and see how we respond to situations.  Have you really looked at what you say and do?  Is it truly done out of respect, or is it hateful and spiteful?

The other day, I had an exchange with someone and I'll let you read what happened when instead of being sarcastic or spiteful, a simple reply with respect changed the course of a day.  It can be that simple, but first, we have to get it right within ourselves.  The following tweet was just part of the conversation that helped change the course of the day with another individual.

If you want to practice #Kindness - think about the responses you make to social media postings, videos, and news. If you can't practice kindness in those moments, do you truly understand what it means to be kind?

— Don Shetterly (@mindbodythought) November 14, 2018

The person responded

LOL thank u Don, for I have certainly roasted couple severals of people to a charred crisp. While I think they deserve it, they also deserve love/compassion. So today is that day I'm sending it out to them & ALL, including you. I don't know u, but I love u for the person u are.

To which I said,

One day is better than nothing.  

Sometimes just a different response can mean so much to the whole world.  May we all try to give a different response - one that is respectful, compassionate, and kind.

The New Reality, This is Not 11-11-11

Reality, This Is Not
11-11-11

If you look around these days or follow any headlines in the news, you'll see that reality has been redefined.  In fact, I don't even believe we are living in reality these days.  So much of what goes on around us is fictionalized or created to appear as if it is reality.  Too many inhabitants of our world fail to connect the dots and remember basic facts.  It is as if humans swallow whatever is fed to them, believing it is fresh spring water.


Take for instance a local spiritual camp that is "using" the commercialism of Halloween to promote their camp.  I happen to think a lot of this spiritualist camp, but people in the area see it as a bunch of strange people they don't understand.  Instead of fostering an understanding and awareness, commercialism has been employed to make the place look like a freak show.  I find it sad and disturbing but maybe I'm just being a prude!

Another organization that I have gotten much benefit from was going to have a breath empowerment event for 10,000 people on 11-11-11.  It was going to be a spectacular event and most likely life changing for many people.  Unfortunately, they got caught up in themselves and turned breathing into a religious practice sensationalizing something that is purely biological and needs no mysticism.  To each their own I suppose, but why take a good thing and turn it into something it doesn't need to be.

I Feel Like Giving Up On This

Written By Don Shetterly

I'm tired and exhausted.  It feels like forever that I've tried building up something where I'm helping others while maintaining my life.  It feels like I've failed.

No, I don't require a wealthy lifestyle.  I don't require a lot of things.  I make do with what I have and try to live as simply as I can.  Heck, my cell phone is over 5 years old and not many do that.

If I wanted to tweet about politics all day long, I'm sure I'd have a bunch of followers.  There would be a lot of screaming, yelling, disrespect and name calling.  It might make me popular and might get more people acquainted with me, but the cost is too significant.  It is not what I desire.

On my blog, I try to focus on things that have helped me in my own life that maybe will help the world.  I don't just put out pretty happy thoughts that have little substance to them.  I give real-life examples of how I walked through the fire.

Yet, at the end of the day, I can't sustain myself with a living income.  My book and music sales are decreasing as if no one cares.  It really feels that way.  Supposedly my book has helped several, but you'd never know it by the lack of reviews and sales.  Supposedly my music is beautiful, but you'd never know it be the anemic sales.

There are far too many that are fake online and that seems like what I see more and more of these days.  Too many selling gimmicks and snake oil.  I try my hardest not to do that with the things I promote are ones that have helped me at one point or another.

Maybe I'm expecting too much online.  Maybe people want to be one-dimensional and half present.  Heck, it isn't just online.  It happens in real life for me.  Those who were once friends are distant unless I push them to connect.

So right now, I'm wondering if all the time I spend trying to help is really worth it.  I'm sure for those that it has helped, they are grateful.  It may just be time to move on and give up on what I've been working towards in my life.

I don't know the answers.  I've cried enough tears lately.  The only thing I know is I cannot continue to exist on nothing.  Somehow I've got to provide for basic necessities in my life.  At this point, I'm just not sure where to turn.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 1/01/18 by Don Shetterly

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It's Easy To Point Your Finger

We all do it.  Yes, we do.  We all do it.  No matter how much you don't think you do, there's that one ounce of a probability that you do.  It's easy to point your finger at others.

Whether it is politics and how we respond or how someone looks or acts or behaves.  Whether it is those that don't measure up to our standards or irritate the daylights out of us at every turn, we point our fingers at them.  Whether it is those that don't believe like we do and we feel are lost or those that share differing opinions, we point our fingers at them.

Sharing things online...

It is easy to point your finger at others while declaring you know all and have all the answers.  It may be labels that you use towards one another, or how you think they are so lost and will never see the light of day.  It may be the way you share things online that become nothing more than pointing your finger at another person.

While skepticism and disagreement can be healthy, we have gotten to the point these days that we hold on to a mentality of "you are either with us or against us".  There is no happy medium.  There is no middle ground.  It is either one way or no way.   If you need evidence of that, just spend 5 minutes on Facebook or Twitter and it should become quite clear.

We don't listen to others...

We don't welcome the opinions of others although we often claim we do.  We don't listen to others like we think we actually do.  We are too busy telling others how to think, what to do, how to believe, and which thing they should follow.  We are too busy telling people the solution to their problem that we don't even bother to listen to their problem first and understand it.

I grew up in a church and a home where we criticized everyone that didn't think the way we thought.  If they believed differently in our church, they were going to hell.  If they didn't do things and act the way we thought, they were just wrong.  There was no adherence to understanding or tolerance.  We sought out people and churches and organizations that made it okay to point the fingers at others. That was how our family operated.

Disgust, rather than listening...

Our society is the same way.  Every day, too many look at others with disgust, rather than sitting down and listening.  We rant and rave and scream how stupid or idiotic others are.  If we don't do it online by our shares and likes, it is often in our private thoughts.

How strong will our civilization and world be if we continue down this path?  How much do we really care for others, if all we can do it focus on the things that we cannot stand about each other?  What does it truly say about how we see ourselves, if all we can see are the perceived faults and deficiencies in one another?

(click image to read)

The government cannot change it.  Our leaders and ministers can't change this.  This is something that each one of us needs to search our hearts and really open our eyes to what we do.  It is something that not everyone else needs to change, but each one of us individually.  If you think it is everyone else that has the problem, it is within your own heart that you need to change first.

I'm no different.  I try to accept everyone, but there are those that are screaming at the top of their lungs that can make me cringe.  I want to point my finger at them and say, "how dare you?"  How can you say these things.  Yet, if I expect them to listen to me, then I need to be able to listen to them without judgment and condemnation.

It isn't easy.  If you think it is, find the person that irritates you the most and see if you can sit with them for a day and not condemn or judge them.  I don't mean, play like you can, but really go deep within your own soul and don't point your finger at them.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

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Flowery Words Without Substance

Written by Don Shetterly

So many times I see online statements from people that are pretty, but that's where it ends.  It isn't online only either as the media and leaders and speakers of our day do the same thing.  Flowery words without substance are in abundance.

Is it wrong to use beautiful words, memes, and positive thoughts?  No, of course not.  We need them to add some spice to our lives.  However, without substance, they are not all that helpful.

Consider this tweet I wrote as I think it sums up what I am trying to say.

Just be down to earth on what you say online. Flowery words that say nothing do very little for anyone. They may sound pretty but often they are void of real substance. #MindBodyThoughts

— Don Shetterly (@mindbodythought) February 23, 2018

I find the thing that helps the most in a day is when we are real and authentic.  When we offer our hand of support to another, we're really adding to a day.  When we are vulnerable and share our life's experiences of what has helped us, we do far more than flowery words ever will do.

We fill up social media with happy thoughts while we often ignore and obliterate the pain that someone is feeling.  Our words become like unhinged swords that take out everything in their path.

Be down to earth.  Show others you really care by your words that come from deep within your consciousness and heart.  These days, the words tend to come out, but the actions and other moments mock what is being said.

We can do so much for others if we find grounding in our life, not what we are putting on display every day for the world to see.  Be part of the consciously connected help in a day, not just the mind-numbed repeats of what is done.

The world needs authentic people.  The world needs us to be down to earth.

Disapproving People

Its the way people look at you.  Its the way they don't look at you.  Its the way people talk to you.  Its the way people give you the silent treatment.  You know, the unspoken terms.  The unspoken looks and words and voices.  They are all from disapproving people.

Growing up, there were sounds uttered, looks exchanged and bible verses spouted.  There were words uttered and the eye rolls.  There were phrases that had perfectly good words, but they were meant as a sword.  They were from disapproving people.

And then, there was those silent moments.  The ones where you knew they disapproved.  The ones where they were disappointed in you.  The ones that were the eye stares, or just the turning away of their head.  The moments where they acted as if you didn't exist, if you weren't standing right there before them.  The many silent moments and lack of connection from disapproving people.