Insensitivity

The irony of what I'm about to write does not escape me....

I am having to sort of avoid someone I know because that person's judgmental attitude is starting to make me really irritated all the time.  I've decided that it's better to run away than to be rude.  I don't know, ultimately, if that's right or not....

It started with a little racial comment.  It was sort of tossed out there casually, thoughtlessly, with that assurance that "everybody was going to agree with it" that I find so prevalent in this particular neck of the woods.  It was just a reinforcement of a stereotype, but really, coming from this particular individual, it was disappointing, discouraging, and tiring.  It was one of those "scales falling from my eyes" moments, and I haven't been able to deal with this person the same way since.  (And that, of course, is where the irony mentioned earlier comes in, so you may now point your fingers if you like.)  Since then there have been other things, obligations left unfulfilled, other comments made that make me think this person can't see the world in any other terms except the rather narrow ones this individual has taken as a personal philosophy. 

I run around with a fairly diverse group of people who have made a variety of choices with their lives.  I have my own deeply-held beliefs about what I want, what I believe to be right and good.  I would never for a minute, though, think that I had the right to take my beliefs and shove them down somebody else's throat.  I'm happy to talk about what I believe.  I just don't ever want to give the impression that the choices that somebody makes somehow makes that person of less worth as a human being.  Just because I wouldn't do it that way doesn't mean it's wrong.  If it's not illegal, if it's not stupid and hurting that person or somebody else, why would I try to regulate somebody else's choices?  I have enough to do to keep my own little life in order without looking down my nose at someone else. Different does not have to equal bad.  What happened to infinite diversity in infinite combinations?

For that matter, what ever happened to compassion?  What ever happened to taking people as you find them?  Do we all have to be like this person to be "good people" in that individual's estimation?  I'm fairly sure I don't measure up, then.  But you know what?  I can be okay with that.  There are some seals of approval I probably don't need, especially when the price is as high as it is.