In Search of a Little Kindness

I posted a Thanksgiving message on social media a couple of days ago. I thought it was a fairly straightforward and peaceful message, about making the time for gratitude, and the importance of counting our blessings. But evidently, some folks saw it as an opportunity to lash out at me, and I'm not even sure what I did to them.  

Agreed, the majority of the folks who responded were courteous. Many shared some things they were grateful for-- good health, friends and family to share the holiday with, and special moments in their life (like being able to have seen their favorite band in concert or visiting a place that was memorable for them). And a few thanked me for having discovered Rush, or for teaching them something important when they were students of mine, or for mentoring them at a tough time in their life. 

But then, there were a couple of folks who thought my Thanksgiving wish was a perfect time to remind me, gleefully, that Trump had won and now "the libs" were going to be sorry. Needless to say, I was puzzled by this sort of response. For one thing, what does it have to do with Thanksgiving? For another, I don't represent, nor do I speak for, "the libs." It's true that I am more center-left these days than center-right; but why should that matter? Frankly, I believe I'm like most people-- my views about certain issues have changed over the years. That's not even unusual. To cite an example that's well-known to Rush fans, Neil Peart used to be quite conservative and a devotee of Ayn Rand, but he moved away from her philosophy and moderated many of his views as time passed. I try my best to respect other people, no matter which side of the political divide they occupy. But what really irritates me is when some folks arbitrarily decide that if my views aren't exactly the same as theirs, that proves I'm a terrible person, and it's okay for them to be rude to me online. Nope. It's not. Not now. Not ever. 

There was one other kind of response to my Thanksgiving wish that seemed over-the-top. A few folks decided the time was right to witness to me about why I need Jesus; and a few other folks wanted to let me know there is no God and the fact that I talked about "blessings" offended them. Again-- whatever you believe (or don't believe) is fine with me. All I was saying is that it's never a bad time to have the proverbial "attitude of gratitude." Whatever your religion, I'm okay with it. But please don't tell me there's something wrong with mine. There isn't. I'm Jewish, and it works for me. I hope your path works for you. My point is, I wasn't expecting an argument or a debate. I've had my share of problems this past year (getting laid off from my job after 15 years didn't make me very happy), but I sincerely believe I have a lot to be thankful for, and I never lose sight of that. But I guess for some folks, I've got the wrong attitude, or the wrong beliefs. And evidently, there's not much I can do to change their mind.

Like many people I know, I am spending more time on Bluesky lately; I'm still on Twitter/X, but it does seem to have gotten angrier and more confrontational. Bluesky seems a lot more welcoming, and not just towards "the libs"-- I'm pleasantly surprised by the diversity of thought on the platform, and I hope that trend continues. I'm also pleasantly surprised that although I've been on Bluesky for the past few months, recently a whole bunch of folks seem to have found me: I've gone from about 100 followers to more than 2,100 in only the past two weeks. And whether folks agree with what I post or not, I'm hoping we can exchange ideas and perspectives in a spirit of respect and courtesy. Call me old-fashioned, but I still think there's something to be said for kindness. And even in difficult times, I still think there's something to be said for gratitude.