6/24/21 The Chatterbox
Betty Kaiser
Because Life is hard for everyone: Bring Back the Golden Rule!
The television news hour at our house is hard to watch. Day after day it is head lined with mass shootings and other killings by deranged individuals. Halfway through this year there have been more than 28 mass shootings in the USA, plus other violent attempts to mow down victims by cars and trucks.
Why in the world are these senseless mass killings going on all over our country? No one really seems to know. All kinds of people in all kinds of places are being attacked. The targets are in rich, poor and middle-class areas where people of all colors, race, incomes and beliefs live.
It seems that here in the land of the free and the brave we have developed a killing culture. If you don’t like someone’s color, the way they look, think, walk, talk, where they live, or for no reason at all—Kill them!
Today’s mass shooters are now being joined by drivers in cars mowing down people in the street. Such actions defy understanding. Each incident seems to come from angry, petty cowards willing to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Their targets are varied— family, friends, fellow workers, strangers or people of a different color or religion.
I don’t get it. Whatever happened to the Golden Rule that we learned as children saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” As I recall, killing others wasn’t included!
So, what can you and I do to stop all this violence? Not much. Our good intentions seldom rub off on angry people. We could start by making certain automatic weapons illegal and used only for military purposes. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What about cars as weapons?
Violence is not tolerated or expected in a peaceful, civilized society. But those of us who want it stopped, need help to be agents of peace. Being a communicator of peaceful thinking and living is easier said than done. We need help from a higher power.
As a Christian, I believe in prayer—communicating with God for His help. And I also believe that whatever your religion or theology, we can all pray for peace and then follow instructions. God listens to a sincere heart.
I recently found the following prayer tucked away in a column fiIe. I don’t know who the author is but I sure agree with the reasons for loving and respecting each other. It reminds us to treat one another kindly because of our shared humanity—the good days and the bad—because life is hard for everyone. Check it out:
Dear God,
Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried19 year old student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week; this will be the last year that they go shopping together.
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear.
Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love. AMEN!
