The world has gone bat-stick crazy! It reminds me of The Lord of the Flies when all the kids went feral. Socially acceptable norms seem to have vanished. Especially on airplanes! Did you see the video that was circulated on social media this week? You don’t usually see women as the perpetrators of violence in the public sphere. She had to be physically restrained after hitting, spitting on, and pulling the hair of a woman sitting in a seat. Do I know what led to this pugilistic outburst? No, I do not. But there is no need to act this way anywhere, let alone on an airplane.

Someone will say the perpetrator was mentally ill or having a breakdown of some type. That may be true… we don’t know. Let me just say this: social media and those who pander for “likes and shares” are just as guilty as the woman doing the spitting. The people filming and sharing, the news outlets flashing it on the evening news, the algorithms promoting violence, and feeding the millions of humans glued to their screens… hooked and reeled in for their drug of choice… dopamine. This magic neurotransmitter in the brain is associated with pleasure and reward. And yes… it is addictive. Being mindful of the amount of time you spend in front of a screen is the first step in recognizing that you may have a problem.

I guess Boxing Barbie in the video doesn’t recognize that this behavior is inappropriate. So, how do we get the smoke back in the bottle? I’m afraid it’s going to be difficult in this climate. I’m praying that new moms start raising a generation of kind humans who are rewarded with the satisfaction of doing good things and helping people. It won’t be easy, but I still believe it’s doable… someday.

In the meantime, I hope you realize this was tongue-in-cheek. Violence doesn’t end violence. Love does. I’ll leave my proverbial boxing gloves at home and take a Bible instead. God’s Word is more powerful than anything that could be thrown at me. I don’t take no truck in fighting with people. To quote the infamous Sweet Brown, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

💜

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.   1 Peter: 5-8 ESV

***Gratitude Journal***   Today, I am grateful for the love and peace I have in my life. I’m grateful for the friends in my life who have become like family to me. We lost three of our senior classmates in the last week. We don’t have time to act a fool. It’s time to share loving kindness. Put it out in the world. Be the shining light on the hill. Be the change!