Inconvenience in your life.

Good morning! I am NOT going to start with ‘where does the time go?’.   Looking back on my recent posts I have noticed  I seem to have it as an opening, and I guess I must be obsessed with the quick passing of time.    Ha

So, here is a little something I want to talk about today, something that I have recently noticed online and with some conversations among those with varying political beliefs:  people do not like to be inconvenienced.

I had a back and forth dialogue on Facebook this morning with a long time friend about the climate change march today, specifically the one taking place in Washington DC.   His first comment was that he did not like that the march was going to block roads and how he thought it was wrong to do.   I responded that maybe it was important to think about the big picture:   That in DC all of our lawmakers are trying to get downtown, to their offices, and they too would be ‘inconvienced’ with some gridlock and detours today.   Perhaps the point was to personally effect the lawmakers because they seem to be pretty good at ignoring constituents and hearing their concerns.

In the United States we ALL have the right to apply for a permit to peacefully march.   We have the right to free speech.  We have a country that not only accepts differing opinions but gets better because of it.    Right now, we have gridlock  in Washington DC – and it’s not just on the roads!   it’s frustrating.

As my Facebook conversation went along with my friend another person jumped in, and he was quick to blame the liberals.   He has the right to speak his mind.   And I have my right to disagree. Yes, I put some blame on Trump fueling a lot of negativity.  I also tried to suggest that BOTH sides have some mean spirited dialog at times and that the blaming game gets old.

I noticed with my friend, and with the other guy too, and really with many that I see post about political disagreements, that there seems to be a very low level of patience, and of empathy for others.  There seems to be a sense of not wanting to be inconvenienced by anything.  If they are, then it’s wrong.

It’s the micro-view of how something effects just “me”.

Now, I get we that are all ego-sentric and we want to go about our business each day with as little stress as possible.  Life in general is tough.   It’s easy to get negative – and jaded.

Politically, we are ALL jaded.  Both sides feel it.  We feel used, and unheard, and think our tax money is not well spent.   Both sides of the political spectrum feel that we have not been heard properly.

So, at times like this people become more active – and they want to march, to rally, to speak out against what is so troubling.   In the 60’s there were sit-ins, and college rallies, when the Vietnam war became so divisive.   The young reacted – and the old establishment fought it.      How quickly we forget?   Those young people are now the older generation.

I admit I have participated in a couple of walks, and marches.  And, I hope to keep using myself to work on change, and justice, and a better country.   I REALLY, REALLY wanted to be a part of the Women’s March that happened around our country the day after the Trump election.

I respect those who take the time out of their day, to be inconvenienced, to say something important.  I respect those who put themselves out there for the betterment of our country for everyone.  I want to consider the big picture and not the one day annoyance.