What I've Had Enough of!

 Hanging out my laundry a few minutes ago I  thought of a story I was told about an interaction in a retail establishment a few days ago. Asked to put his mask up over his nose  a man lashed out angrily stating he had enough of this ... and threw a drink in the employee's face.Thinking of his over the top, unacceptable  reaction I had a reaction of my own. You know what I've had enough of? Well let me tell you. I have had enough of entitlement, people treating service industry employees as if they are trash, as if they are responsible for the current restrictions. I have had enough of rude, short tempered people who have allowed the stress of these  pandemic days to boil up and come out as attacks  on the workers who are just trying to make a living and conform to strict,  and ever changing  guidelines. I have had enough of the selfishness and  narrow mindedness of  thinking you have a right to be disrespectful and nasty. I have had enough of the lack of common decency and civil behavior. I have had enough of  people believing their  petty concerns are so much bigger than the huge struggles  we are all facing. I have had enough of the belief that because of  a person's job, their race, their religion or the color of their skin  the person is the "other " and does not deserve respect.I have had enough of hatred and blame , of people being gunned down or run over because someone is unable to temper their own fear and insecurity.

What I have not had enough of is compassion, understanding, respect and patience. I have not had enough of gratitude and humbleness, of love and forgiveness.I have not had enough of self introspection that asks ourselves in every situation how it is I would want to be treated. How would we want our children or grandchildren to be treated? I have not had enough of the Golden Rule and more importantly than returning to 'normal ' , a time when we can take off our masks,  I pray when we come out of this we  strive to  truly follow that rule in our lives.