Any time there's violence in the world, like the recent attack in Boston, I begin thinking "What are we doing wrong?" Then I realize that it's been like this since the beginning of time. There is evil in the world and that's just the way it is.
I saw a picture on Facebook yesterday that I don't even want to post because it's so annoying, but I will still mention it because it bothered me. It was a group of Syrian teens holding a sign that said something like "Your attack in Boston is what happens every day in Syria, do not accept our condolences." At first I was angry because it was rude and evil. I thought Ok, you little punks, I already thought about all of you around the world and how horrible it is that these things happen to you every day, so don't assume that we don't care. And I did truly think that, but I was angry with these kids when I saw this. Then I realized, all politics aside, all Syrian-US crap aside, these are kids and they are angry and want to point a finger. They don't care who's to blame, they are just pissed that it's happened to them and seeing it happen somewhere else is strangely comforting. It doesn't make it right, but still, I think that's why they held this sign. These angry kids will become angry adults, which leads them to violence. This is how an extremist is bred. Imagine the things that these children have seen. It's so sad. These kids could be good people, but no one is there to teach them about peace because they live in all of this bullcrap.
If only we all knew this and followed it:
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
This STILL hangs on my refrigerator....a left over from when you were a little girl, and I guess it looks 20+ years old too. But it makes me happy that you read it when you were little and that it stuck. Isn't it the truth?
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