What Is Right With People?

What is wrong with people? They are loud and obnoxious. Their phone manners are terrible, especially now that cell phones intrude everywhere. Their driving habits are infuriating. They seem determined to be disagreeable and their goal must be to make us unhappy. Sound a little familiar?

Of course in laying out those complaints, the question should be turned around to ask, “What is wrong with ME?” Because when it comes to talking about people, “they” are “us.” (Or "we" to be grammatically correct.) For every behavior by those around us which annoys and irritates, we are inflicting some irksome behavior (maybe several!) on others. Even for the most saintly among us, everyone is likely making someone else’s life less enjoyable than it could be. There is always room for improvement and the improvement lies within the rule called golden, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

We’re all in it together, this imperfect and sometimes downright crazy world. Our lives are intertwined and connected. Sometimes we have a bad day. Sometimes we have a long, rough week. Sometimes life hits a sour stretch with happenings beyond our control. It’s easy enough to make excuses for ourselves, but are we willing to give others the benefit of the doubt?

Only occasionally is someone trying to make us miserable. Most everyone is focused on his or her own concerns. Often there's no time to concentrate on what's going on with everyone else. (Which is sad in itself.) Many are struggling just to get by, wrestling with issues of health or having trouble in relationships. But in spite of that, most everyone is also striving to do better, to be better. 

Maybe the question should be, “What is right with people?” There certainly is always good to be found. For everyone you meet who seems to be unpleasant, remember there is always something you don’t know about him or her. Maybe they’re carrying a heavy burden and their heart is weary. Pain often comes out in ways which seem as though someone is  merely trying to be disagreeable.

And for every truly unpleasant person out there, who really is just not very nice, there are many, many more who are kind, compassionate and helpful. There is a lot wrong with the world, but thankfully, there is an awfully lot which is right. Look for the good and find it.