You know that hackneyed phrase ‘she cast her eyes heavenward’? It denotes disbelief. It seems it's now called an 'eye roll' and you can even get the t shirt.
Until I developed TED[1] I had no idea I did it so often. Given the excruciating pain involved in an eye roll, I’ve vowed to give up my cynicism –after all, it’s such an unkind trait. And we could all do with being a bit more kind. I say that with feeling, having been the victim of some extreme unkindness recently from folks who really should know better. Like many painful episodes it was – ouch here comes another hackneyed phrase – an ‘opportunity for growth’. What I learned was that I did not get upset because people disagreed with my stance. It didn’t bother me that I was hounded out of a political party that I’d been a member of for years, campaigning and supporting financially – Ok, it did bother me, but not that much.
What really distressed me that there was no kindness, no respect, no listening. I was branded with an unpleasant slur and left out in the cold. I’m not the first person to endure this, and it doesn’t matter so much to me as I’m retired and not in public life. They can’t take my reputation or my livelihood away from me. But it still hurt.
So here is my pledge: I will try always to listen respectfully and with kindness, even if folk express beliefs that might in the past have made my eyes do that painful manoeuvre; even if you tell me the Earth is flat; that Trump really cares about the working class or that you can change your sex. I may not agree with you, but that’s no reason to be unkind.
[1] https://www.btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-eye-disease-leaflet