I went and got some wood for my wood-burning fireplace on Saturday.
Felt rather guilty about it.
We went to a big fancy Scottsdale mall on Saturday.
Felt guilty about it afterward.
Read through the metro newspaper Sunday – felt guilty.
I went to church Sunday morning.
And felt guilty about it.
I ate some chicken wings on Sunday during the Super Bowl.
And, yep, you guessed right, felt guilty about it.
Seems every which way a poor innocent fellow turns these days he subjected to some type of criticism or judgment or suggestion that there is a better alternative. Or that you are supporting some nefarious cause that will ultimately destroy Mother Earth and possibly the entire Universe as we know it.
A movie? Heck, you’re supporting that giant Hollywood entertainment industry that is ruining our tender society.
Firewood? Are you kidding? You should be locked up for polluting the environment and adding to the big, bad ugly Brown Cloud.
Big fancy mall in Scottsdale, huh? And just like that, poof, two more Fountain Hills businesses went out of business.
Sunday paper? That progressive, socialist, Sheriff Joe hating, liberal rag? You actually pay money for that whole “full access” thing – and a print paper?
Church? Which church was it? What do they believe there? Oh. Sure that’s the right one for you? Why do you go to a Christian church and offend all those “other” religions out there?
Chicken wings? You chicken killer, you. Do you know how many chicken wings can fit coast to coast across the country? And those wings are pretty small, you know. Killer!
Yikes.
Seems every move we make and every decision that’s decided is scrutinized by someone – and usually it’s by someone who doesn’t agree with that particular decision.
It makes the modern world go around, I suppose, since we all have our own opinions, and it certainly keeps the media in business as everyone debates the pros and cons of various issues, causes and projects.
Healthy debates and factual statements make for good fodder and cause you to perhaps rethink an issue. Sinking into name calling, personal insults and over-the-top hyperbole turn me off more than anything.
Accountability is always a good thing – though it can be a tough personal battle at times – but a constant barrage of inane questioning from all sides can get wearisome…
Truth be told – after all these years, I’m rather comfortable in my own skin (I really didn’t feel guilty going to church, for example). Some of us are under more scrutiny than others. If you’re not doing anything “wrong,” you shouldn’t have any reason to worry, right?
And I’m sorry, but those darn chicken wings are just too good to pass up…
