Pick A Side

By Don Shetterly

These days, it seems that too much social interaction revolves around everyone doing a pick a side.  It really is a sad testament to humanity when we can't even discuss an issue of the day without people becoming opposing forces.  It doesn't matter what the issue is.

I try hard not to pick a side on things.  Yes, I have my beliefs and opinions, but they are mine.  There's no need for me to force them on anyone else.  Far too many do that on all sides these days, and I don't think it is a good thing for our world.

Growing up, I had too many in my family that thought they always knew what was best.  Nothing stopped them from pushing their beliefs and opinions on me even if the facts did not support them.  The church we went to had a very narrow way of interpreting how we view just about everything in life including who would or would not get into heaven.

These experiences I went through left me feeling bewildered because either you saw it their way or you were just flat out wrong.  There was no allowance for differing viewpoint or beliefs.  It was one way and one way only.  You had to pick a side.

I see the same thing in everyday life where if you don't pick a side, you're banished to the side of the road.  Yet, if you point this out to anyone, they act as if "others" have the problem and not them.  They can not see the tree in front of them because of the log in their eye.

Many times I see people writing similar things to what I am saying here.  They are so tired of having to pick a side and would like people to be more respectful.  I'm not sure if the more tolerant voices get drowned out by the screamers or what, but we're hurting humanity.

Too many of the things that we deem as important in life that we will fight everyone for, are not as big as we believe they are.  Yes, there are some important issues, but to degrade others through hateful screaming and name calling does nothing to help.

I see people that bash others for behavior they do, and yet they do the same to others.  It makes me wonder if any conscious people are remaining these days.  Surely, as humans, we are more than screaming, name calling and hatemongers.  Surely, there's more to our existence.

When you pick a side, and it doesn't matter which side, you're hurting others and you are degrading yourself.  You have dehumanized the world through the lack of listening, care, and compassion.

When you pick a side, you show to the world that it is "us" against "them" and nothing good comes out of that.  No, it isn't everyone else that does this.  We point the fingers as if it is, but we could not be more wrong.

Much of this happens because we are not connected to the mind and the body.  We have our opinions and beliefs, but we are so disconnected that we have become less than human.  Change needs to start within each one of us.  We need to be the change we wish to see.

Stop playing into the game where you pick a side because you're only adding to the screaming in the world.  It is devoid of love and compassion.  We need love and compassion are so badly in the world.  You do not have to follow the crowd even though our society attempts to force that upon each of us.

Stand tall in love and compassion.  Learn how to be consciously connected to your mind and body.  By doing this, together we will help the world evolve to a better place.

Try to be more mindful of life.  Stop and evaluate how you spend your day and be aware of your actions.  One of the things that most miss in their day is truly being aware and conscious of how they present themselves to the world.  We are so unconscious in our activities which elevates these problems to epic proportions.