The First Cut is the Deepest

I read blogs. Lots of blogs. I have a list on my computer of ones that I follow and ones that I will someday read, and that list is long and grows everyday. Actually it's not that much different than my list of books to read.

Why do I follow blogs? Mostly it's that I just love to read. I believe reading ANYTHING will teach you something new, whether it's reading a great novel or just reading the back of your shampoo bottle. You always learn something new.

Another reason I read blogs is because I am truly interested in how other people live, how they deal with problems, how they interact with the rest of the world, what they do for fun, etc. Reading about someone's life in NYC is pretty fascinating to me, since I've known nothing other than small town life.

I read the blogs of people I know and lots of people I don't know. Maybe that makes me a bit of a snoop, but I'm not trying to invade anyone's privacy. I'm just curious. But, I guess if you have a blog, some of your privacy is out the window anyhow. Also, I should make a point here that I follow most of these blogs anonymously because I'm too much of a chicken to make my presence known. Stupid, I know.

That being said, I just read today on one of my favorite blogs that the writer has decided to take an indefinite break because of so many hurtful comments she's received in the past few days regarding what people think she's like, how she lives, her outlook on life, everything. In her words, she's been "raked over the coals", and she's decided that to protect her heart and her head, she needs to step away. I'm disappointed on many counts. Firstly, because I really enjoy her writing. But mostly I'm disappointed because it's just more evidence of the cruelty some people inhibit.

I've never understood how people can take satisfaction out of the misery of others. How they can treat people like garbage and live with themselves. What justification does someone have in saying that a certain person deserves to be a punching bag and the world is better without them? It makes me sick, sad, mad, depressed all at the same time. If you don't like someone, avoid them. If you don't like certain music, change the station. If you don't like what someone is writing, don't read it. Pretty simple.

Maybe I'm naive. I believe the world should be worth living in, and everyone should treat others as they themselves would want to be treated. A difference in opinion should never be a deal-breaker. I don't care for country music, but I don't hate country music fans. I dislike the Dallas Cowboys, but I don't hate Cowboys fans. I may not agree with what everyone writes, but I always have the option to stop reading. It's called freedom of choice. And, it's also freedom of choice to make the decision to treat people with respect and kindness, instead of derision and meanness. Or as the old saying goes, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

It just makes me incredibly sad to know that there are people who derive happiness by treating others so terribly. What do they truly get out of it?

I mean, really, what's the point?