IMHO

IMHO means "in my honest opinion." I just figured out that little gem this year. Yeah, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes.

I'm online a lot.

There is no secret about that.

And in case you were one of the few that did not know...

Now you know.

I READ A LOT. Tons and tons of blogs, and Facebook statuses galore. It started out as a venue to quash my aloneness in this diabetic life, and it morphed into friendships that I cherish and support systems that I rely on.

Yes, I'm ok with feeling close to people I've never met. After all...we have the same hearts. We want the same thing. We all fight the good fight.

And being online allows me to come out of my shell and say what I want to say, from the depths of my soul.

It seems it does the same for everyone else too.

Which leads me to why I'm here today. OPINIONS...everyone has them. Right or wrong. We all have opinions about something. I, in fact, am SUPER opinionated. (Somewhere in Cyberland my parents are reading this and nodding uncontrollably.) And here is the thing...It is OKAY to have your own opinion! Totally Okay. It is ok to write down your own opinion...it is YOUR status. YOUR blog. YOUR tweet. It is like your home, and the people reading are being invited in. They can leave if they want. They do not have to LIKE your opinion.

Have your opinion. OWN your opinion.

Just respect everyone else's too.

We can foster respect by...being respectful. (I know, really clever, right?) We can agree to disagree. But why name calling? Why putting people down? We have the right to tell someone you disagree with them...but isn't there a way to do it without snarkiness spitting off our tongue?

Sure snarkiness has its place, I can certainly be snarky...but when it meant to hurt someone, or tell them they are ignorant, or wrong, or stupid, or heaven forbid...that someone shouldn't feel the way that they do! or any other mean spirited thing...well...that is just mean.

We are allowed to have our own feelings. But not everyone is in the same place emotionally as everyone else. Respect their grief. Respect their anger. Respect their fear. Respect their happiness.

Let everyone live their story...and if we disagree...then tell them so if we must! But can't we do it in a way that doesn't count out their feelings?

Feelings! Where is Barbara Streisand when you need her???

Maybe it seems like I'm wagging my finger at some people, but I'm not. I only hope to bring this all into a new perspective.

If you point a finger at someone, there are three more pointing back at you...that goes for me too. I've had to take a hard look at myself lately. I don't agree with a lot of things floating around cyber space. It isn't easy for me to tell people how I feel without putting them down. Not easy, but totally worth the effort. It is an art for sure.

This is the end of my public service announcement. I'm going to wrap this all up in a bow with the quote below...

"Truth is one forever absolute, but opinion is truth filtered through moods, the blood, and the disposition of the spectator." ~Wendell Phillips

Your mood. Your blood. Your disposition. They are different than mine. We won't always think the same. But we can listen the same....and respect the same too.