Life in the City

-by Sandra Simmons

The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Have you ever been treated so horribly, without just cause, that you feel physically sick to your stomach? Not the, “that person is in a bad mood and just taking it out on me” feeling. But the out-of-the-blue, assassination of character that goes to your very core.

It happened to me recently. Normally, when someone is impolite to me I brush it away, knowing that it isn’t really about me; it’s their life spilling over uncontrollably.

Sometimes, when the person is being particularly bad mannered, I feel compelled to ask them if they are having a bad day, hoping to snap them back to the present.

Downtowners connect on so many levels. We make friends easily because of our shared attraction to Downtown, and subsequently each other.

Yet, there is tension in the air. Tension perhaps due to the frustration of moving into a new home, with so many items on the punch list that the developer just can’t move fast enough. Ill feelings because a non-intentional incident such as a pipe burst flooding many stories below. Conflicts arising when neighbors are trying to sleep and a party rages next door.

These are situations that, given time, should dissipate; they aren’t really directed to you personally.

Part of our human nature does entail occasional, out-of-the ordinary circumstances that make us temporarily unaware of how we are acting towards others. We can wreak havoc without even being fully aware; however, with a simple, “I’m sorry,” forgiveness is accepted.

And then there are those others that live among us.

Have you met the person who perceives they have more power than they actually have, and uses that supposed power to lash out at anyone who momentarily touches something inside them, bringing out their inner demons? Isn’t Rodney King’s profound message the first thing we should consider when encountering a person who just hasn’t evolved to an acceptable level of civility to smoothly interact with the rest of society?

I ponder…Can we all just get along?

We all encounter tension and conflict every day, and these Downtowners share how they allow these conflicts to influence their lives.

Brad Willis (Vantage Point 2008) thinks the real key to avoiding conflict is to show the other party respect and to keep the area of disagreement from getting personal.

Whenever Pat McArron (Pinnacle) encounters someone who he perceives as rude or inconsiderate, he avoids further contact. He feels life is too short to let such people affect how he lives his life.

Richard Walker (Pinnacle) thinks some people are entertained by the dust created from conflict. Rather than being swept up into the cloud, he has the attitude of partnering for a better solution.

Conflict is inevitable, but rudeness and incivility shouldn’t be the ensuing course of action. By living the Golden Rule, we create a more livable environment, and ultimately increase the value of our homes. - June 2006

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