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Life Is Short So Why Are People So Mean?

Sand In Hourglass Checking in on people late afternoon today made me aware of two things:

Life Is Short So Why Are People So Mean?

Without getting into the details of the mean people part, just say you have seen things in a day where you wonder if people had bad childhoods or something when they want to come home and kick the dog.

The life is short story had to do with calling in on a friend who lost his job last December and he was still looking in the Spring. His wife tells me he DIED in July apparently from his being a heavy smoker.

He didn't make it to 51. I have seen way too many people die in their 40's and 50's around me and it is a reminder that life is short. So those mean people don't get that they are wasting part of their life being mean. Maybe they still have not grasped that short life perspective YET. I am convinced I cannot change mean people. For that matter I barely seem to have any influence over heavy smokers either or even the wife didn't as well.

The point is, life really is short, and we do need to grow up at least from the perspective of being a good person. Or we are on the road to ruin and just go around making others lives miserable. I for one want to have no part of that while there is still sand in MY hourglass.

Whether a business professional in the real estate field or other endeavor. Wake UP!! You don't have forever to get this world down right. Start now being the person you ought to be. We need more ones that lift rather than bring people down all around them with their pettiness, sourness, and gloominess.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.

Posted by Gary Woltal - Associate Broker REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth on 10/14/2009 06:57 PM

Comments (38)

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38 Comments on Life Is Short So Why Are People So Mean?

OCT

Maybe you should make bumber stickers that say,

"Life Is Too Short To Smoke!"

It might catch on.

Gary, by the time one gets to be 50 it seems that if one has not gotten the message as to how short life is there must be some other agenda driving them. I see people that seem determined to take the whole world down with them---rather than live and let live. It is one of the biggest sadnesses I know of.

As always Gary you are right. Life is to short to waste a minute of it. It is hard to ignore the negativity around us but not letting it get to us is important.

Gary, It's so important to be happy and spread that around rather than gloom and doom. An upbeat attitude is difficult to maintain but can be done, it comes from inside! The best to you!

Great post Gary! Life is short. A friend of 15+ years just passed away Monday night after a relatively short battle with cancer. He was 46. He leaves a wonderful wife, two kids, and many many fans as a cub scout leader and swim team ref. I was just showing them homes in August of 2008. Now, he is gone. They put an offer on one, and when the sellers countered down only $1000...he said..."you know...I don't think we're supposed to upgrade homes now". God knew...I'm so glad his wife and children are in their smaller almost paid-for home. Anyway, life is too short to be mean...even with mean people. I find silence is the best response.

Gary, I have never figured out the answer to this question. I honestly don't know why some people are so mean but maybe it's just because inside they are miserable. We know what they say about misery.......

Gary- I always wonder when I meat a really grouchy person how he/she can standthemselves. It even surprises me when I find out that some people are even married - I pity the spouses. Can you even imagine having to live with one of these mean people?

As a mother of a teen aged girl, we have spent a lot of time talking about the "mean girls". I have always told her that it takes a lot more energy to be mean that to be nice (usually).

I don't understand the hatred....I have an agent who just dishes out hate speech when he doesn't hear what he wants to hear...what happened to grace?

I wonder if mean, grouchy people even realize that they're that way. Some, I'm sure do it on purpose and take great pride in being ugly....

Gary: Some folks walk around thinking life owes them something. Life is what you make it and every day is a new opportunity. Some folks may never grasp how precious each day of life can be and just waste time.

Hi Gary. Life is measured and it would be shorter for some and longer for others but if asked, I think most would agree, it is too short. I wondered about this as I approach my senior years. It seems because progress in life is accumulative, we see the greater amount of all the changes as we get to older status. That makes us think and rightly so that more change is ahead and we want to be a part of it. Part of the change, the growth, the fun and unique new things that be a part of that time. That is one possible reason why life may seem too short. Back in the days when there was little or no change for long periods of time, it might have become boring so people were more at peace with their own expiration. But one thing you said, I really love and hopefully I did live my life this way. "Be the difference". What perfect advise to give a child, a teenager or an adult about living their lives.

Gary,

We can all be a little kinder to one another at times. You never know how your smile might change one person's day....

Ann

Gary: The reminders of how fleeting our time here on earth can be is all around us. Look no further than our AR community and the members we've lost. Enjoy every minute and don't be mean. Meanness has a way of coming home to roost.

Hi Gary, Mean people and nice people. The world has always been populated with both kinds and probably always will be. Too bad for the mean people, they can't truly enjoy life.

Aloha Gary,

Funny when you hit the age and people start dropping around you. I have to agree mean people suck, what's the point. Life is short,make it count. By the way you seem like a really nice person, keep up the good work.

Before you criticize someone else, look in the mirror... and make sure they're not standing behind you when you do it

hey Gary, that doesn't feel good at all to be brushed with or bruised by unkindness...sorry that happened. One thing that always helps me feel better is music...when I need to feel better about others, I can listen to a whole bunch of Pete Seeger, P,P & Mary, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash... folk songs, and it always does the trick. Folk songs for feelin better about folked-up folks... I'm very sorry to learn about your friend...

Reality is we all only have TODAY! We better live it treating people the way we want to be treated. Mean people...I will never understand. How lonely there souls must be. I am so sorry about the loss of your friend Gary.

OCT

Gary, good reminder of what really should be important in life, and that is the stuff that makes you happy. I mean the things that you would miss terribly if they were taken from you. Life is way too short to be mean and unhappy!

Life is precious and we need to take the time to enjoy others. Since you brought it up, maybe we should think about those who are living and reconsider some of our cherished habits that are BAD for us. I'm sure that we all have a few. Now, I have to go on a walk tomorrow!

Wonderful post Gary,

Some people are just not happy themselves unless they are making other miserable. I know a couple of people like this and have never understood it at all. Life IS too short to live like that. But they may never get it.

Most mean people are actually proud of their meanness. They like to tell you how mean they are to others so you know their potential to hurt you.

I think it has to do with control issues. Entitlement. They think they are entitled to whatever they want and are mean if they don't get it.

Fact is, we all die the same. We can not take our money or possessions with us. We can't even take our own skin with us. Hummmm.

Did you hear about the wealthy man who finally talked God into letting him take a suitcase of gold to heaven with him? When he arrived in heaven, Peter met him at the gate. Peter had never seen anyone arrive with a suitcase before, so he was quite curious. When the man opened his suitcase to show off his gold, Peter asked him, "Why would you bring pavement with you?" (As the streets of heaven are paved with gold!)

Life is very short and very precious, we need to get all we can out of it. Unfortunately there will always be those just can't do that.

Dying at such a young age is a shame. I guess if you smoke for that many years though, you can't be too surprised. Enjoy life while you can and take care of yourself. Enjoying life does not mean go out and do 'death defying' acts or eating/drinking what ever you want. Take care of YOU.

Unfortunately, mean people seem to be everywhere. Its is difficult to not get brought down with their meaness.

My father-in-law died at 51 when Jess was just 2 years old. The saddest part is that she did not get a chance to really get to know a very loving, caring, hard-working man that was her grandpa.

I have to believe that what goes around comes around. So the mean people will get a taste of their own medicine some day. And what a pity that they've chosen to spend their gift of life making others miserable. Another great post!

Gary, I will never understand mean people either. I get a boost, every day, by being nice. Mean people are to be pitied because their lives are devoid of that feeling you get when you can make someone smile, or even better, laugh out loud. I'm sorry about the man who died so young. That is sad. Thank you for another great post. xxoo

When I see people that are so mean, hateful and just darn nasty it makes me wonder what made them that way - and why they chose to continue on that course that brings more of the same. I am glad I wear 'my suit' instead of a mean suit.

I am always very thankful that I had a great upbringing with great parents to lead the way to happiness and I live it evey day all day long. Blessings to you Gary and sorry to hear about your friend.

What a horrible burden negativity is. Once you've been infected it's a difficult malady to cure. The saying "misery loves company" remains all too true.

I keep both of your messages in mind. My friend recently told me of a 40 yr old who was laid off, then had a massive heart attack the next morning. He is still in the hospital & it doesn't look good. The lessons are everywhere.

Keep being who you are and appreciating your life!

Very true Gary. I want my life to mean something more than money and sales.

I try to avoid intensely mean, angry or hostile folks. They are like black holes of negativity and nearly everyone agrees that : Mean people S%#k

OCT

Gary,

I guess the old adage applies...being good is good for you and being bad is bad for you....

Its just not worth it, life is too short. I don't like being around mean people who want to make others around them miserable.

I am four years older than my mother was when she died. Life was too short for her, hopefully won't be for me. People that are dear to me know it.

Mean people definitely suck.

OCT

While smoking will attribute to your loss of days on this earth, being mean and hateful inside and to others takes it's toll on your days too. Life is too short no matter how long you live. So enjoy each day we have and just try to be "nice" :)

OCT

When someone is mean, or even just unfriendly, I make the leap that they are simply unhappy. But to try to change that...much too large a job for me to take on. I like the phrase at my son's school: "Be the kind of person you would like to have as a friend." Life is tough - get over it!

Oops - I didn't mean you personally Gary. Just the meanies.

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