This sermon is taken from the past from one of our own.
I sit here on my couch, thinking what to say..... My last "Sermon" was a copy of a passage I really liked, and my thoughts on it...... Not sure how this sounds to you guys and gals, but, we'll see......
The other day, the wife and I went to the local hardware store to purchase some supplies for our Halloween setup.....
We tried this a couple of weeks ago as well... It did not work then either...... We got into a disagreement, and left with no purchases....
Why did we have a disagreement? I cannot fathom the reasons.... Why does anyone?
I am currently upset with myself.... Not terribly, but nonetheless, not happy...... I let my emotions run amuck...
I, as most of you know, try to greet each and every person, new to TOTJO.... Lately, it seems that controlling of anger has been a major thing people want to learn...... Why?
It can have adverse effects on many aspects of a persons life, such as, but in no way limited to, employment, friendship, family, physical health, mental health, the list seems too long to completely list here......
Why does it seem that people have less control over their anger, versus a generation ago?
Is it because, we were/are told to "get it off our chest", "It's bad to let it build up, you'll crack", "you'll feel better"? Whereas the older generation were told to "suck it up", "play the cards we're dealt", "be an adult", and "quit whining".
I think it might be....
In one of the lessons, I learned I had been training myself, with negative reinforcement, to respond with hostility.....
When I "tell a person off", I feel better. But then my irritation with that person soon swells again, due to that person not changing, to them, what is a perfectly fine action or idea. All I did, was make them angry/upset/irritated with me.
The cycle continues.... Thereby, reinforcing this negative action... And every time I would feel better, it would go away more quickly. Since figuring this out about myself, I have started watching the interactions of those around me, most noticeably, my co-workers and my family.
It is not an easy thing to change a known bad habit, let alone a habit that we don't even know we have developed..... After all, if it makes us feel good, and gets rid of the emotional poison, it must be right, right?
I think, we stopped thinking about the rights and feelings of other people. We forgot our original intention of grouping together was for safety and security. Mutual respect abounded. Didn't like the tribe you were with? Go find another. Or start your own with like minded people.
Every day I meet someone I didn't know the day before. Everyday, my tribe gets bigger, the world becomes a smaller place.
Not everyone of them is going to go along with my outlook. Some, will probably will tell me how wrong I am.
That's ok. They are allowed that right. I may, after all, be wrong.
Perception of the situation, the perspective of the situation, your interpretation, your opinion, your outlook, your point-of-view.....
Look around, and see if there is another way to look at the situation.... See if you can see what they are trying to say, understand where they are coming from.....
Well, anyhow, this is my "perception and perspective".....
What's yours?
