It's Mines

“Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment,” Loa Tzu.

I was struggling with what exactly to say this week in light of all the tragedy that has happen in such a short time.

I chewed over many different approaches to my thoughts on the bombing in Boston and the loss of life, the implication it is an act of terrorism, the anger that has since poured from the thoughts and mouths of people from the east coast to the west coast, all over the social media and television.

I have thought them out very carefully because some of my thoughts go against the grain of how the many think – but I should know by now many of my views go against the grain.

As I was asking for some inspiration as to how to develop my column for this week I ran across another great saying by my favorite teacher, Loa Tzu.

It felt appropriate from the moment I read it because I can’t help but feel as if we are constantly resorting to anger when tragedy strikes.

It is so natural for us as a people to become angry and lash out when we are hurt, but what good has that ever done anyone?

That simplistic sentence of how we should respond makes more sense to me than the alternative, which is to respond with anger.

Though in my own experience I can understand the head first jump into anger, it is an easy emotion found within our primitive nature.

But nonetheless it is an impulse that always leads to more destruction, anger and hate – all of which are corrosive emotions that spread like a disease.

Allowing negative emotions such as these to take over leads everyone down a bitter sad path that in the end benefits no one and accelerates the erosion of society.

Is it too farfetched to take the approach of forgiveness and love to those who hurt us?

I say this – or offer this as an alternative – because it seems to me people who have gone to the extents to cause such devastation have little love in their hearts and need to be shown how to love.

I am not saying let them off with a slap on the wrist and a ‘don’t do that again,’ because, yes, I believe there should be a punishment served. But I also think littering the world with the message of how sad we are for them to have to resort to such a despicable actions would do far more good.

I am not saying patronize them or ridicule them as many would by saying, ‘they probably didn’t have much love growing up,’ instead recognizing they must be hurting a great deal inside to cause others to hurt this badly.

Or maybe it is as simple as them being backward enough to think this made a statement for their cause instead of disrespecting their cause.

I am sure everyone out there can attest that at one time or another you too were less than respectful to your cause – whether the cause is religious based or personal ideology.

And if you are saying right this minute, ‘Not me, I never have,’ I would caution that it is quite easy to overlook one’s own faults.

Never would I condone the kind of actions or thought processes that leads to such horrible acts, but I have sympathy for all involved, because to me a fundamental in how we as human beings are supposed to connect is lost.

And quite honestly, this is just one more example of how hard we work towards hurting each other rather than building each other up and caring for one another.

To me this even applies to the people who are striking out against the perpetrators by perpetuating the anger.

May you all feel peace and love within your hearts and may you all know you are never alone.

Until next week…….

Contact Tina Mines at [email protected].