I’ve come from Pretty Purple Princess by way of the Cynic’s Tea Party to guest here on Victoria’s blog…and then onward.

The phrase is…“Loving People and Life Is Simply Good”. A bit of a long one, but I’ll see what I can do.

First bit, “loving people and life”. What does that phrase mean to you? How do you define it? Is it based on respect for the opinions and thoughts of others? Is it based on demonstrations, in the form of little gifts or comments? Is it a combination? Something additional? Or is it something completely different? How do you show love, in any degree, to the people around you? How do you see them showing love to you? Stop and think for a minute, go over your interactions with them carefully: you may find them showing you affection, respect, and admiration in little ways that you didn’t even realize.

Respecting peoples’ points of view isn’t always easy, especially when they seem to run directly counter to something vastly important to you. People whose religious convictions hold that same-gender sexual relationships are sinful may have trouble interacting with homosexual people. Folks who are atheist or agnostic may sometimes feel uncomfortable around religious fundamentalists. People who adamantly support President Bush may either hold pacifists in contempt or just be utterly unable to comprehend their dislike of the Bush administration’s policies. We, as human beings, delight in simple answers…which don’t always exist. What situations have you run across when you either judge too quickly, or feel &lquo;trapped in the middle” because you’re neither one nor the other extreme?

Second bit, “is simply good”. This makes sense from a karmic standpoint, and from a societal standpoint. When you have a society — no matter how large or small — wherein the people try to allow each individual to live to their own personal definition of happiness rather than trying to impose their values upon them, things work better. People feel a bit more inclined to give respect and assistance when they feel that they get it in return. When people actually work together and respect each others’ different personal customs, viewpoints, ways of thinking and acting (as long as they don’t impede others’ rights to think and act), then you have a group of individuals who can interact with and help each other, rather than just a bunch of individuals who happen to live in close proximity and may share some common resources.

Does that parse?

Ugh. A bit too much of an essay topic, I fear. Instead of a nice brief post I’m trying to slip back into article-writing mode. At any rate, What are your thoughts on anything in the above post?

Care to turn the keyboard over to me for a short spell? Leave a comment here or on any of the sites where I’ve been in my tour.

— this has been Laughing Muse