Whom do you look down upon? (The Sandbox Writing Challenge)
My first inclination when I read this prompt was to laugh. It’s hard for me to look “down” on anyone as I’m only 5’3″.. 😀 “Looking down on” is a hard concept for me to describe. I earnestly try never to look down on people. I remind myself constantly, “Don’t judge!” Sometimes I do well with that, sometimes I suck at it. I get irritated as all get out when the first thing about people certain members of my family notice is someone’s appearance. Makes me nuts! I find people who are externally oriented like that to be shallow and likely not someone I’d chose as a friend.
“Don’t judge!” My time tutoring for the school district where I worked with a lot of migrant workers’ kids taught me I can’t POSSIBLY know what a person’s story is if I haven’t listened to them, then walked a mile in their shoes (figuratively). Kids are so candid and have a way of boiling things down to the meat of matters.
“Don’t judge!” Working at the Crisis Pregnancy Center was also an eye opener for me. You THINK you know what a girl’s story will be. She got knocked up, didn’t she? Doesn’t that mean she’s foot loose and fancy free? I found out quickly, nope, it doesn’t. Behind every one of those girls was a child needing, searching, willing to give up the most precious thing in their life for five minutes of feeling close to someone.
My point is, I’ve been schooled more than a few times in my own uppityness. Enough times to know I’d better shut up first and listen before I draw any conclusions. On further reflection I realized the people I look down on are the ones who deliberately HURT OR DAMAGE another person in some way. Not talking about accidentally hurting someone’s feelings, or even being a crappy parent (because we all learn to parent as we’ve been parented and sometimes it’s hard to break out of those habits if they’re not healthy).
No. I’m talking about someone who knowingly and determinedly sets about to hurt someone. My opinion of them is that there’s something wrong with their soul. Is it something that can be fixed? Maybe yes, maybe no. But even THAT isn’t up to me to judge. All I know is I really dislike (which may be too mild of a word for my feelings) people like that. And there’s a part of me that feels like their punishment should definitely fit the crime. I know that sounds an awful lot like “an eye for an eye” philosophy, but I don’t care. I can’t apologize for feeling that way. Do I feel guilty about it? Sometimes yes, but there it is, nonetheless.
We were meant to live in relationship with others, and when we violate that precept we violate the law of love. And that’s the bottom line for me…
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Picture Credits:
tall/short — www.livescience.com
disdain — www.study-body-language.com
martinaproselfexpression said:
I like your perspective. ❤
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calensariel said:
So good to see you!!! Now I can find your blog again. 😀 {{{Martina)))
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spiritualdragonfly said:
I’m with you C….as to what we do about? Those individuals who have no Souls..you are filled with hate…won’t change because they don’t want to……..so what do I do…..
This morning on my Soul Stroll..I smiled..and said Good Morning to the few people I passed on the beach…small things add up..
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calensariel said:
And you store them in your emotional bank account for when you need to withdraw them toward a run in with of those soul sick folks… They will nourish you.
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loristrawn said:
Love every word of this.
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calensariel said:
You know, I think we’re kind of all coming from the same place. Makes me wonder how there can be so many people in the world on the same page about things — like loving others no matter the color of their skin or their religion — and yet we are so ineffective at making changes in our culture, our society. It can be disheartening…
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Soul Gifts said:
Can’t change somebody else unless they want to do it themselves. The best we can do is keep on lovin’ and be good role models.
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calensariel said:
Unfortunately that’s true. Perhaps the answer lies in the way we prosecute perpetrators. Or rather if we START prosecuting perpetrators in a suitable manner. I think right now people who commit crimes are apt to feel there are no harsh punishments. Not only that, but our system (here in the states) have turned the tables and almost make the victims seem like the bad guys. That’s been going on for a long time. You should have heard the grilling I had to go through when Drollery got laid off when the kids were young and I applied for food stamps! OML!!! I never got them…
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Soul Gifts said:
It’s not that different here. The other unfortunate thing about the justice system is that blue collar crimes incur harsher sentences than murder sometimes! What is with that!! I so can relate to the food stamps – TRH took time off to be at home with the kids when they were little and applied for a stay at home dad’s allowance. It’s intent was to provide financial support for families during that time. Well, he never got it till he was back at work!! AND at one stage I was informed by the Families SA Dept they had overpaid our family allowance so they garnisheed my wages !! I felt like a criminal. They hadn’t. They couldn’t cope with TRH’s self employment and the resultant fluctuating wages. We challenged them, they stopped the garnishee. And we stopped the family allowance. It wasn’t worth the hassle it created. So much for supporting families !
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calensariel said:
Yes. We found out you have to know how to WORK the system. And most “regular” folks who don’t make a living off it don’t know how to do that. Perhaps that’s a small part of the blue color thing you were talking about. You’re absolutely right about that, btw. It’s that way here, too. And if you KNOW someone. Especially with teenagers who get in trouble. The whole thing with them raping girls and getting off is getting out of hand here. But I understand that’s a problem rearing it’s head in many countries at the moment. It’s as if our world is taking one giant step backwards. It feels that way sometimes. My LIFE feels that way sometimes…
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janebasilblog said:
Yep – I go with that one. Deliberate cruelty is about a lack of compassion and empathy. Maybe the perpetrators don’t understand that their victims are as real as they are.
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calensariel said:
In that particular scenario it really is a mental thing, though. Don’t you think? But some people are just plain arse mean and cruel.
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Kay said:
I agree!
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calensariel said:
I’m guessing a lot of people probably do. But what do we do about it? How do we deal with it to make this world a better place? It’s one of those micro to macro problems…
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