TUESDAY THOUGHTS: IT'S NOT THEM...

In the words of the great philosopher Tamar Braxton, "We are in the land of people who are consistently trying it...You gotta watch who you let in your house".

 

Everywhere you go, you take yourself and all of your habits, ideas, preferences, prejudices, opinions, likes, and dislikes with you. 

There is no law or rule that says anyone where you're going has to approve of, accept, or put up with them. It takes work to be a jerk. 

Being considerate is easy.

When, for whatever reason, you:

feel superior to others;

harbor unresolved issues; or

feel you don't have to respect or regard others, 

of course how your words and actions impact them won't matter to you, and you'll endeavor to make others uncomfortable and miserable in their own tranquil spaces. 

That kind of demon-inspired, entitled behavior can backfire, and cause you to be ignored, banned, or ostracized.

If you have decided that you're okay with, and proud of being curt, snippy, intrusive, destructively critical, sour, pushy, strife-loving, and disrespectful of boundaries, go on and "Do you". 

Don't ever be surprised, though, when even the most gracious and tolerant person justifiably pushes back, or, for the sake of their own sanity, keeps their distance.

Sometimes silence IS a response. 

It often perplexes, confuses, and angers. 

People who have never been thoroughly checked or corrected, demand to be acknowledged. 

Everything they do makes noise, and they can cop quite an attitude, especially when they don't know whether their loud, bothersome ways have successfully bothered you or not. 

(Someone consistently stomping overhead won't be happy to know that they've exerted all of that energy, but you weren't even in the building suffering the headache they wanted you to have.)

Silence screams what a person may be thinking, who is too nice, polite, or exhausted to actually say it. Sometimes, people choose silence because they know they don't have to tolerate a thing for long. They're just biding their time, and are preserving their blood pressure. 

Besides, there's no sense in wasting good words and breath, with someone who is so self-absorbed, that they won't hear you anyway. 

Silence, then, is very informative. 

Be clear--you don't necessarily WANT to know what someone has decided not to say, so don't push them. They may tell you, and then of course, you'll get the confrontation you've been hoping for--but you may not emerge with your feelings (or face) intact.

Be very, very careful how you treat others. 

Consider, if it matters, whether God is happy with what he sees. 

It's not always them. 

Sometimes, it's you. 

Examine yourself. 

Care. 

Perhaps someone is owed an apology. 
Don't ever try to excuse the drama you've consistently visited on others.

Even nice people have limits.