Hatred

Hatred is defined as intense dislike or ill will. I'd like to add that it is a disease that has affected many on this planet. It sneaks up in moments of fear and attacks. Unlike a flu virus, there is no vaccination for it. Compared to a cancer, it spreads easily and effortlessly through a person's psyche and world. This is the disease that could destroy mankind unless a radical change occurs.

I write this blog entry as much for myself as for anyone else. This morning as I was vacuuming my thoughts turned toward all the atrocities in this world. Hate seems to have become the norm. As I mulled over this, I challenged myself to look at the hate that is within me. I feel I have honestly eliminated this word and feeling from my consciousness. Well, almost. 

My biggest "hate" goes toward winter. I hear the words "I hate winter, no, actually I despise winter" over and over in my conversations. Wow! What am I creating in my world? No matter what Mother Nature brings, I am convincing myself with these words that I won't like it. 

After more honest soul searching, I really have stopped hating as much as I used to. I used to hate certain people for actions they may or may not have committed. I used to hate certain foods. Those hatreds are pretty far removed now. However....

There still are times when hatred rears its ugly head. When I hear others hating for the sake of hating, I start fuming. When I see a derogatory photo of someone with a less than desirable comment, my teeth start grinding away. Guess I have work to do. 

How do we as people rise above the hatred we feel towards others? For me, I shall begin to disagree more with acts and beliefs that are contrary to what I believe. I shall begin to educate myself about different viewpoints. 

Years ago, in another lifetime to be exact, I worked with a young woman who was an Evangelical Christian. I had just discovered New Thought. To say we were from different spiritual worlds is an understatement. We usually had lunch together. We discussed our beliefs. I did not change hers. She did not change mine. What we did was respect each other without anger, without animosity. We remained friends.

My heart hurts when I see and hear all the hate. Hate for people we don't know. Hate for countries we have never visited. Hate for people espousing another belief. What if everyone just disagreed? We live in a world where virtually every "civilized" nation has access to information about everything. A friend who has since left this earth plane once told me I lived in a dream world. Love isn't the answer. My opinion differed and we chose to disagree on this as well as many other things. Although we drifted apart for many reasons, I never hated him nor did he hate me. 

Is love the answer? I think so. If love is not the answer for you, how about tolerance and understanding? As individuals we have free will. It just seems that this wonderful world could be so much more wonderful if we eliminated hate. 

As I wrote the words "wonderful world," Louis Armstrong's song What A Wonderful World comes to mind. 

What A Wonderful World

Let's begin to make this a truly "Wonderful World" by walking the talk that Christ, Buddha, Muhammad and other great masters walked. The Walk of Love. 

Peace and Blessings,

Mareda