Peace and Love

I'm feeling overwhelmed lately by haters. They're everywhere. Even close to home - which makes me especially sad. Apparently, it's easy to hate something or someone. Most people's hate is directed toward a group or an idea or some inanimate object. It's not as common to hear someone say "I hate so-and-so". I take that back... in politics, the leaders are often the target of hatred, but more for what they represent than who they are as a person.

Hate is everywhere in the news, it's everywhere in social networking and it's so contagious. 'That tv show/driver/speech/store clerk pissed me off, so I'm going to tweet about it or post on Facebook.' It has crossed my mind that happy, well-adjusted people are not online. 

I did not watch the Tea Party debate on Monday, but I have seen video clips from it and when Ron Paul was being asked about a hypothetical person in a coma, but without health insurance (his choice) and the moderator asked "would you let him die?" There came shouts from the audience "Yeah!" "Let him die!" 

But I also saw the video of people rushing in to rescue a motorcyclist who was under a burning car. They lifted the car and pulled the injured man from underneath the vehicle.

It frightens me that I may know more people who would let someone die rather than risk their safety to help a stranger. I hold out hope that the hater's words come from ignorance and bravado and mob mentality and if faced with a split-second decision to help , they would do the right thing.

In Memoriam

I learned yesterday that my first boyfriend has passed away. I don't know what happened, the obituary said that his death was "unexpected". We had not kept in touch over the years, so my memories of him are still those of teenager. A couple of months ago, I came across a slide that my dad had taken as we were leaving for the prom. I've processed it to protect his privacy - but believe me when I say... we were oh so young!

It occured to me that my first love and my last love have both preceded me in death. And that the statistic that men die younger than women is probably true. My heart goes out to his widow, because I know too well the emptiness and heartache that she is now facing.

Rest in Peace E.C. 

And Gary, I miss you every day.