Discussion about this post

User's avatar
David Nissen Kahn's avatar

As an atheist, I, too, have a small nit to pick. You don't have to be religious to partake of grace. What you're talking about is, as you say, not being an angry jerk. It's not a gift. It's a hard-won and constantly regained, consciously selected personal attribute. It's a way of looking at the world and interpreting what you see. I think that it's not so much a matter of finding the good in everyone--some folks genuinely ain't good people--but it's rather a matter of picking your fights.

As Mr. Gallagher said, if you take hurts to heart too often, you become a bitter and nasty person. One who attracts and cultivates anger and injury. And you're more likely to give hurt where hurt isn't needed or, oft more likely, doesn't matter in the greater scheme of things. To interpret M. Trosino's commentary, we ain't none of us infallible, so it behoves us to keep that in mind as we judge others. Indeed, pick your fights. As with rearing children, choose carefully what's worth getting riled up over, with the personal toll that claims in heartburn and fatigue and distraction. Some fights are worth having. Some are noble. But not all.

Expand full comment
Deborah Brown's avatar

Guess you’ve been listening to your friend, Jesus. “Don’t repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others…”

Well, actually that was your friend, Peter, influenced by Jesus.

Your work is a gift!

Expand full comment
54 more comments...

No posts