No Sir to Negativity!

This quote was taken from one of the smartest people I know...someone who is near and dear to my heart: "I hope Obama does good. And I dont see the point of going against your president just because you didn't vote for him or he made a bad choice in the past. He's now your president so pray, and hope he does something great." No better words have been spoken by someone in a very red state. This person was not necessarily for or against President Obama, but he just shows a quality that so many people lack: objectivity.
We should all look at everything from a more objective point of view. Stop being so darned influenced by the negativity that seems to be suffocating our country. I have found myself trying to be MUCH more objective lately--you know, putting myself in someone else's shoes and trying not to pass judgment. Just recently, I began a new job doing administrative work for our local sheriff's office. I love it, but I'm really starting to see the effects of negativity in our society. Yesterday was visitation day at the jail-a jail which houses some pretty hardened criminals- and I felt a strange, overwhelming bout of sympathy for the mothers of people who have made mistakes, and continued to make mistakes, which ultimately landed them in a small cell for a very long time. A lot of people would say, "Well, their parents are the reason why they turned out to be that way." This isn't always the case, and I saw that yesterday. Visitors check in with us in the office before they are taken by a deputy to see their loved ones. As they signed their names, showed ID, and left their keys at the front desk, I saw a sadness and an embarassment in their eyes and behind grateful smiles. I wanted to say, "I'm not judging you." But professionalism kept me from small talk, so I smiled and told them to have a good day. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not necessarily the "nature" factor that turns someone into a criminal. Environmental influences, i.e. negativity, play a major role in how a person becomes.
Positive thinking yields positive actions. So be happy. Smile at someone who is frowning. You never know, it might change their day. A simple "hello" shows someone that they are worth being noticed.