I had an incidence this morning of keeping my focus on right speech. A friend's 95 year old mother is visiting, and I went on the deck to say hello. The weather was the first topic, safe enough. But then she said she was ready to go, meaning to die. I responded that I could understand that, as she's had a rich life full of blessings and children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Then she stated how horrible the news was, and I was going to say that's why I don't read or watch it, when she went on a rant about Muslims. Quite ugly and out of the blue. Well, since I have a lot of Muslim relatives, I said I thought my tea was ready and went back inside, rescuing my own ears from burning. She's 95, so I'm not going to argue with her, and she had a fall on the stairs a few days ago and is all banged up. I stayed inside with the 91 year old whom I'd just taken to a doctor's appointment, and left after a reasonable amount of time.
I cannot help but think her watching the news contributes to her prejudicial opinions about people and a religion she knows little if anything about. She's weary, and in World War II fighting mode. Things seemed simple back then. But if she talks like that to her California relatives, it must get mighty uncomfortable. They shouldn't have to be listening to it. And after the first couple of minutes I exited the fray and escaped. But I admit, I wasn't entirely sanguine. I'm a bit disturbed, and she doesn't seem quite so adorable to me now.
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