On being easily offended

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Don't.

That's all. Just don't. It's an angry way to live.

BREAKING NEWS: Everyone is NOT out to get you. People's opinions are NOT personal attacks against you. Nor do their suggestions for change imply they believe you are anything but wonderful. Set aside your belief that you hold the monopoly on rightness and just enjoy creation. Celebrate diversity - God planned it that way. Acknowledge personality differences, and accept them as such, because God planned them too.

Don't let disagreements end relationships. Instead, find friends who disagree and listen to their reasons. But be careful, because you might learn something. Or you might teach something. But neither will happen if you parade around like the Angry Young Man/With his fist in the air and his head in the sand. You know the one - He's never been able to learn from mistakes/so he can't understand why his heart always breaks. So he sits in a room with a lock on the door...

(ah, the wisdom of Billy Joel)

*inspired by a combination of true stories, written for my own good as much as anyone else's.

Comments

Anonymous said…
“You get tragedy where the tree, instead of bending, breaks.” - Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Of course, LW was known for snapping at people. But his quote is right on.

Finding a philosophical truth in a Billy Joel song. Very good!
Merry Christmas.
December 26, 2007 at 12:35 AM
Justmatt said…
I totally agree - but due to my last name (and your) I AM always right or at least Wright. : ) Good thoughts.
December 26, 2007 at 9:24 AM
Cool Dad said…
Recently, I've had to swallow my offended feelings, mainly just to tell myself to grow up and don't let little things bother me.

I think we all need some thicker skin as long as the love in us is proportionally strong.
December 29, 2007 at 7:42 PM
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