There is no doubt that 2020 will go down in history as one of the most stressful and politically polarized years ever. The corona virus in particular has exacerbated our lives on every level imaginable. We all know many friends, as well as family members, who were directly impacted by this horrible virus. Most of them eventually recovered from Covid 19, but some tragically did not, leaving intense grief, sorrow, and anger in the aftermath. Life as we once knew it has been radically altered with a desperate desire for normalcy once more. Being locked down at home certainly does not help our stress either and perhaps gives us too much time to think about things and to be on social media.
Don’t get me wrong- social media has been a blessing in terms of staying connected with loved ones and friends during this turbulent time. We definitely feel less isolated as a result and I am grateful for it. As a matter of fact, I find Facebook to be an excellent diversion and it often lifts up my spirits. I especially love the photos and positive/humorous posts. But there are also the negative comments, the “virtual” debates with complete strangers ( which baffles me!) that become nasty, especially as it pertains to politics. I’ve also seen similar posts in special need groups, which is particularly disheartening, as we parents already have enough on our plates with our disabled children so the last thing we need is to feel judged. Sometimes words can also be misinterpreted and taken the wrong way, which can certainly happen if your child is having an especially hard time and you are operating on minimal sleep.
The last thing we want to feel when we use social media as a means of expression is invalidation or minimization. Each one of us certainly has a right to express an opinion on whatever the topic is, whether it’s related to special needs, climate change, or the upcoming presidential election. And there is certainly enough opinions on both sides of the fence for discussions on everything that could probably last for days! Thank goodness we live in a country that allows freedom of speech and may we never lose this right! However, I do find the level of vitriol/ disrespect if someone doesn’t agree with your particular point of view on social media quite appalling! Unfortunately there is as much strife as there is the “good stuff” to the point where some days I have taken a break from social media altogether. Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way: we really can get along “virtually” if we go back to some valuable lessons that we learned as children and implement them accordingly.
Remember “ if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all”? I do remember learning this as a child, a good lesson in showing respect towards
others, especially when you disagree with them. Sometimes it’s just not worth the effort to start a debate on a topic that you know will end badly. It really depends on who is involved, and what your motives are: how important is it really? Often it’s not worth the argument. However, if you feel the subject deserves attention and can express your opinion without tearing down the other person in the process, especially in a public forum, that’s ideal. Many times, though, we will have to “ agree to disagree”- this has certainly been my personal mantra , and I actually expect it, as we diverse humans are the sum of our many varied experiences. I have found if there is a particular topic that I’m particularly passionate about, I will contact the individual privately to continue the discussion if they are interested. If they are not, that’s OK too, then it’s time to “let it go” as Elsa from Frozen says.
Sometimes, though, no what matter what we try, it just may be best to “scroll on by”! Or we can change our settings in Facebook to filter what we see on our newsfeed. We can select our friends and let the strangers or former “friends”go. It’s OK if people don’t agree with us and we can often still be friends when we practice mutual respect. We should take Charles Dudley Warner’s words to heart: “ politics ( or fill in the blank with whatever topic you wish) make strange bedfellows”. There is a reason why this sage advice still holds true over 100 years later. Life is too short to be wasted on something that won’t matter next week, or even tomorrow . Sometimes, the discussion is just not worth having and it’s best to “agree to disagree”.
Suppose we are more intentional with kindness and helpfulness in cyberspace instead? I immediately gravitate towards those posts and want to learn more and be uplifted. I look forward to going on Facebook because of extraordinary people I know who are so clever, inspirational , determined, and humorous. Sometimes a shared meme or a photo is just what my mind and heart needed in that particular moment . Kindness brings out our best side and relieves stress. Kindness doesn’t have a political or religious affiliation and is for everyone who wants to receive it and share it. Kindness is a gift that we give ourselves, especially when we share it with others. What our world really needs now is random acts of kindness, big or small, to alleviate the sadness of so many who are hurting right at the moment.
We may forget what someone says or does for us, but we will never forget how someone makes us feel. Kindness in all forms, on all social platforms, has the power to inspire, change our attitudes, perspective, and hearts, even if it doesn’t change our minds. It’s a movement we can all be a part of and doesn’t cost anything. Kindness only requires willingness and an expectation of the good, which is always the result. Kindness is the one contagion that we don’t have to be afraid of. Kindness can virtually and literally make our world a better place, especially in the words that we choose when speaking to others, as well as our actions towards them.
Kindness is a conscious choice that we can all agree on and it can make our current situations a little easier to bear. I try to practice kindness daily and have discovered that when I do so, my day goes so much better. By getting the focus off myself, I feel physically energized, and my mind dwells on positive things, which is what I want to feed it with. Most importantly, helping others who may need a dose of kindness can make all the difference between a good or a bad day. It is a privilege and a blessing to have such opportunities to give, as well to receive kindness from others, during our times of need as well. Yes, our literal and virtual world can never have enough kindness in it!
May your days be filled with serendipitous moments of kindness of the giving and receiving kind. May we always remember that our words can be a balm to heal the wounded spirit or cutting like a knife to the heart and that we always have a choice of which words we will use. Finally, may we be blessed tenfold by our acts of kindness and continue to pay it forward.
Until next time, thanks for reading! 😊
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