Keyboard warriors are now everywhere.
On every platform. Every continent. Engaging us, every minute of the day.
They are like street urchins living under the street. They happily take up residence in the stench ridden gutter of the inter-web. They do not build; they destroy. They do not understand; they relentlessly criticize. The do not love. They simply spew out hate.
Not all keyboard warriors are vicious.
They all come with some varying degrees of passive aggressive venom.
Perhaps the most dangerous are the ones who are mild, and whom we’ve allowed into our ever-expanding virtual circle.
For one reason or another they connected with us or with something that we are passionate about. It is never a strong connection, but a connection is made regardless.
Like cancer, they remain dormant for a very long time.
What they do with to occupy their lives, I’m not totally sure. I do not even want to spend any of my thoughts or energy to garner an educated guess, but inevitably, at some point, when we take a leap forward and share ourselves with others, they begin to strike.
At that moment, their viciousness is exposed.
Their gestures and words have an impact on us, and those close to us, but it is we who truly decide what kind of impact they will have.
We can take their words to heart, but that would be a dangerous mistake.
They don’t know us. They don’t understand us. They have no desire to even pretend to understand us. They do not appreciate the circumstances we face. The life we live. The fears and joys we hold close to our hearts. They are ignorant of our desires and dreams.
To embrace their comments, and to take them to heart would be a grave mistake. It would be the equivalent of welcoming the Trojan horse into our kingdom.
We control our gates.
We are in full control of who and what we welcome and invite in.
Encountering and dealing with these unabashed strokes of genius is unavoidable. Like weeds hiding themselves in our lawn, they are impossible to exterminate. It is impossible to week them out without hurting someone in the process.
We need to learn to live with them.
We need to see their comments as a sign that we are onto something. Their words are a sign post that we are headed in the right direction.
We need to see their venom and anger as an example that we are leading awesome lives and must undertake the challenge to create more beautiful art.
Our keyboard warriors are a perfect reminder that sitting still, and philosophizing or nitpicking the work or lives of other people, is precisely the world, we no longer want to belong to.
You and I are warriors of light.
We don’t know the way. We don’t know the how and we are always searching for the reason why.
But amidst uncertainty and doubt we remain warriors of the light.
We are attracted to beauty.
We are in love with bright abundant dreams. We are gracious and grateful. We are determined to keep the smallest wick of light burning, because in darkness, it becomes a tremendous source of light.
Remember that you were born free.
Free to choose where you spend your energy.
Spend your time with those who know and love you. Spend your time building the City of God. Leave the underbelly of the boulevards to the street urchins.
Dream out loud.
Let the critics, like a housefly, attracted to all sort of human waste, fly from place to place, going nowhere.
Let them be who they are going to be.
Be grateful.
Be yourself. Your awesome, glorious self.
The sun is rising.
A new day is coming.
Focus on the light.
