Reading...a lot!

Normally, I don't get excited about a movie that was "adapted for film". They never live up to the book in my opinion. However, in the case of "The Help" the movie hype made me borrow the book on my Nook. I read it in a whopping 5 hours - no not 5 hours straight but over 2 days of naps and after bedtime and most importantly during all the news hubbby likes to watch.

The story is about black (pardon if I'm not politically correct) domestic help during segregation. I'm sure the book glosses over some real nasty things and portrays other issues pretty well. I know that is the focus of the book but do you want to know what I got out of it? What is gnawing at me?

Snap judgments about others. We all make them, you know you do. I do even though I like to think I'm not sitting here all high and mighty. We judge others harshly if they don't wear the right clothes, shoes, or have the right haircut. We judge others harshly if they aren't the right religion. If they don't have the latest this or that. If they don't live in the right neighborhood. Yes, we still judge others if they are in any way different than we are. That is human nature - not pretty but reality. We know we shouldn't but we do it anyway. Do we do it in front of our children? Are we mindless to what comes out of our mouth until it is repeated back to us by a small child? Sometimes we are. What is wrong with being different? Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we were all the same? What would we all talk about?

Not treating others the way we would like to be treated.  I confess, I have been guilty of that on more than one occasion and probably will again. The question is why? Why are we mean to that person? Why do we gossip about that person? Why do we look away in disgust at that person over there? Where is our compassion and empathy? Somedays, when watching the news I just don't know. Then I look at myself - sometimes it is not a pretty picture. Where did that sweet, loving child go? What have I become some days? I hope that I can set a good example for my child in public and especially in private!

Not taking a stand - because saying nothing is like agreeing with whatever bad is going on.  I admit it, I can be passive sometimes. It is hard to be brave and take a stand when something isn't right or good. It is hard to be a lone wolf. It is hard to risk ostracizing yourself to point out something is not right. It is hard to put someone or something before ourselves isn't it? I've taken a few stands in my life that I'm proud of. There were no accolades or spontaneous standing ovations. Just me and me alone. I know what I've done is right and someone else more important knows that I did what was right. Sometimes I don't know how to fight the fight. I give up before I even try to start because it's soooooo hard. I bet a lot of us do that. It is hard to speak up and risk something. It is hard to risk scorn and isolation. It is also hard to live with regrets. I imagine we all have them. I know mine. Do you know yours?

I know I've taken a pretty preachy stance here. I am by no means good at the 3 things gnawing at me. I am horribly flawed, horribly impatient, and horribly horrible sometimes. What I do know is that I'm trying and I bet you are too.