Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Colorful Florida

© 2009 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

I was having dinner one evening in a restaurant in Florida. There was a very boisterous foursome next to us and I overheard a couple say "don't speak ill of the dead." It seemed such a funny thing to say since I don't think the dead really care what you say about them. More importantly I think one should say "don't speak ill of the living". Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if everyone were more kind, generous and forgiving towards one another? Too Utopian you say? Boring you think? I think its important to speak your mind and when necessary to stand up for oneself when trespassed upon, but it seems to me modern man is very demanding and unforgiving. Who sets these standards, rules and regulations for the masses? 


© 2009 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Our psyche's are bombarded daily with bits and pieces of information that come to us from myriad sources. Information overload. Is our idea of the way life is supposed to be created for us or do we form our world through our own desires, morality and ethics? What is contemporary culture and society? Who forms your thinking? Are you really free to form your own concept of the way it should be? Or is your world dictated to you without you questioning it? How many of us really stop to think about all this "stuff" coming at us.

© 2009 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Believe me, a smile and a kind word go a long way towards converting people over to your side rather than criticism. People criticize, speak ill and alienate because they are afraid. It makes them feel better about themselves, justified in their actions (I'm right, their wrong, ) and it also pushes people away as a means to protect oneself. Generally people are comforted by sameness. Diversity makes people think and become uncomfortable. It makes people question their own way of doing things, heaven forbid. Perhaps there are other more productive happier ways to live and to be. We can learn from one another but not through criticism and exclusion but with warmth, acceptance, love and even tenderness. I think all human beings crave love, respect and reassurance. So next time someone says to you, don't speak ill of the dead, say, okay, no problem, but lets also not speak ill of the living either.

1 comment:

Alex Gesar said...

One, I love the photo. and two, I agree with speaking ill of the living. People are ridiculous.