Opportunity....

Soapbox opportunity that is…

I read and liked on fb the other day…a friend’s comment…a quote with the moral of it being that life (in general) is about you and God anyway…not about you and anyone else.  I did like that and appreciated her posting that quote from Mother Teresa!   A few days ago, I met and went diving with a couple from Houston.  They told me of their previous weeks diving and how they had seen a woman diving that was damaging the coral and fans with her lack of…hmmm…not sure if it could be lack of training or just having enough experience to be taking pictures.  I was heartened by his tale of how he confronted her privately on the boat and mentioned that it might be good for her and the environment if she took a buoyancy class.  On one of their next dives together he saw her grabbing a coral head (while trying to take a picture) and he went up and removed her hand.  Of course once up on the boat the woman gave him a talking too...and he reiterated that she should take a buoyancy class as coral is damaged by the slightest touch.  Then, yesterday, I saw on fb a mother saying that she was enjoying watching her 4 year old son torture the cat. Yes, to all my cat friends… something about the word torture rather than play… I commented…my comment was something like …is there a dislike button, it should never be an excuse that “boys will be boys”, it is about teaching respect.   Immediately there was a response from the mother that it was said to be funny (really, torture funny?).  The mother of this four year old is pregnant with her second child and still unmarried…not sure if that means anything…just an observation.   Then, some of her friends responded about torture and killing the cat…the mother then responded that the cat had had a heart attack…no one could prove otherwise…and, at that point I had had enough…I de-friended her!  Don’t know what was true about the cat and what was supposed to be funny! 

Now, I’ll say that I generally do like fb…but as I have heard from so many (Capt Paul being one)  fb lends itself to people saying things that should not be said…which leads to my dilemma…is she a good mother who just used a strong word in her desire to be funny?  And, then...should I have even commented?  I am no Mother Teresa.   I have always let my opinions be known as respectfully as possible (just ask my kids or Capt Paul).  So rather than be saddened by what I hope is a few…I am and will be encouraged, reassured, and strengthened…by my family…by my extended family… by some divers that are not only responsible, but pro-active…and, by the words of Mother Teresa…