Chapter 282

I got a powerfully negative reaction from something I wrote recently. I reminded me that need to write because I believe what I am writing, not because people agree with me. I need to write because I am polishing my thoughts and my writing skills not because it will make everyone happy. You do not need anyone’s approval, you need to write to express yourself and force yourself to think.

Of course this would not even be an issue, that someone disagreed with me, if they had not done it in such an ugly manner. Interestingly enough, her reaction to my post, actually proved the point of the post, but of course that is bittersweet, because the ranter and raver never got the point obviously. They just slung injurious words left and right, lashing out recklessly. That shows the level of pain I caused them, or that they think I caused them.

Actually they inflicted this pain on themselves, by not being willing to consider another view, by reacting rather than thoughtfully responding, by choosing anger over thinking, by writing something they can’t take back in haste instead of waiting a day and mulling over their letter, by flinging hate rather than reconciliation. All of these actions are on them. The original post is on me.

I apologized. Not because I was wrong, but because that is what adults do when they have offended someone. No defense of my words, no backing up, but sincere apology because my words have hurt someone. I am even more deeply sad that this has broken our relationship, even though that was their choice as well.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, you are gonna get bit.