When I drive, I
listen to music. I have my car tuned to
about ten stations and push the buttons until there is a song I like. When a commercial comes on, I switch
stations. Not interested in what someone
is pitching. I might listen to the
traffic report, maybe the weather, but I seek music.
I have friends
and family who listen to talk radio.
Personally, I think they’re crazy.
Why would I want to listen to some guy’s, some lady’s opinion on . . . ?
It’s even worse now that we’re in an election year. And not even the big election at that. Just a local election with a few national
spots thrown in.
They harangue. They nag.
They distort. They color the
facts. They knock down, belittle, denigrate.
They lie! (I know . . . that comes as a shock to many
of you. Sorry about that.)
There are times
I marvel at those who tune into hatred, to disrespect, to intolerance. Stations even pay a salary to those who purport
these sentiments, these attitudes, these feelings.
There are those companies who sponsor these individuals who spout these
beliefs.
Sort of sad,
really. Okay. Maybe a lot sad, really.
I think of the
Bible story about John The Baptist.
Tough guy to listen to. Not
necessarily likeable. Not a guy many
would gravitate to. Legend has it he
wore the skin of an animal and ate locusts dipped in honey. Hmmm . . . not necessarily my kind of
guy. Don’t know that I’d tune my radio
to his station.
Then we have
that Other Guy. The Guy who talked about
loving your neighbor as yourself. The
Guy who talked about peacemakers, the humble, the poor. The Guy who wanted the children to come to
Him.
I think we have
a tendency to seek out those who speak on our behalf, who give credence to our
beliefs, be them right or wrong, good or bad or evil, tolerant or intolerant,
accepting or rejecting.
My dad had a
saying: “Garbage in, garbage out!” A lot of truth in that, I think.
I think if we
seek out those who preach intolerance, who preach indifference, who preach
hatred and distortion, we become those same individuals. How can we not? “Garbage in, garbage out!”
And, if we seek
those who preach acceptance, who preach kindness, who preach tolerance and
belonging, isn’t there the possibility . . . the probability . . . of becoming those same
individuals? Perhaps, “Goodness in,
goodness out!”
If we surround
ourselves with those who preach negativity, don’t we become like them? Don’t we become them? Wouldn’t it be better . . . wouldn’t it make
the world better . . . our lives better . . . if we surrounded ourselves with
positive people?
So . . .
I’m wondering
what you’re listening to today.
Tomorrow. Next week. What is your station set to? What is The Voice You Listen To? What is it you wish to become? What is it you wish your children to become? Garbage?
Goodness? What is The Voice You
Listen To? Something to think about . .
.
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Thank you for your comment. I welcome your thought. Joe