Sunday, November 14, 2021

Compassion Challenge -- Day 14

I'm encouraged to participate in this November challenge with my church congregation.

Inspiring Compassion: The 30 Day Compassion Challenge. 30 days to explore the topic of compassion: Mindfulness, Compassion for Friends & Family, Self-Compassion, Compassion for All, Compassion for Our Planet.

Today, I'm using compassion to just "let it go." 

In our blogging community, there are bloggers I just avoid. Their toxic, angry messages are often cossetted in their own brand of Christianity and that really upsets me. Why use my faith to justify hostility and misinformation? I find it's better to just leave them be.

Anyway, feeling all compassionate because it's Sunday and because of this challenge, I decided to break my own rule and check in on one of these bloggers. She linked up for Saturday 9 and even commented on my blog so, hey! In the spirit of being friendly, let's read one another's words.

Mistake! As I was scrolling down to leave my benign response to her answers to the benign Saturday 9 questions and I learned that (as Saturday 9's author) I am "unspeakably rude" for asking such "intimate" questions and "demanding" an answer. I admit it got under my skin. My intent in doing Saturday 9 is to bring people closer.

I could have engaged. I did not. First of all, I suppose it's not the blogger's fault that one of her commenters is over the top. Secondly, why? The memes are meant to foster conversation,  community and fun.

Most of all, how sad a person must be to get lathered up over something like this. There are so many things to be genuinely upset about. I guess some simply must express ire over everything that crosses their path, even an inconsequential meme. Does it make them feel superior? Safer, perhaps? Clearly, there must be a lot of pain there.

Mindfulness. Mindfulness, mindfulness, mindfulness! Obviously that's the message I'm learning from this congregation exercise. "Walk a mile in their shoes." Learned it in Sunday School, learned it in Girl Scouts, being taught it again as I hurtle toward retirement. 

 

 

 

3 comments:

  1. My initial response is "You've got to be kidding!"

    I forget to tell you how much I love Saturday 9 and our community. It's truly the highlight of my weekends.

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  2. I am astonished, truly. Saturday 9 is wonderful and about as benign as one can get in a meme Q&A. Thank you so much for doing it and for creating a wonderful sense of community among those of us who enjoy it. You do a great job with it and I know the research takes time. I almost always learn something (even if I did forget about Arianna Grande). You deserve chocolate ice cream and a piece of cake. I wish I could give you that.

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  3. I may even know who you are talking about....I think Saturday 9 is lovely, and although I have never joined in, I hope you will continue. I think it is fun to learn a little about other bloggers. I have also loved this 30 Day Compassion Challenge. Hope you have a good week. :-)

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