didn’t surprise me because I frequently received emails in response to articles I published in my teen girl magazine. I opened the email and then sat there in shock. It was a short email, only eight words in length and unsigned.
“You still waiting on
true love? You fool.”
This happened quite a few years ago, but I remember that as
I read the email I felt hurt, anger and shock all at once. I wondered why
someone would take the time to send an insulting email to a stranger because of
something they perceived to be foolish. I had received negative emails before
however, this one felt like a personal attack.
It is so easy in our social media driven world for people to
attack each other. From behind the anonymity
of a computer screen they attack people that they have never met and likely, will
never meet in real life. Why? Because
they look different? Think differently? Act differently? Why does someone
acting upon their right to think, look or behave in a certain way upset someone
so much that they take the time to send a negative message or leave a rude
comment?
There’s a name for people who act in such a negative manner
on the internet. They are called trolls.
Their only objective is to cause an argument or crush someone’s
spirit. The best advice I’ve seen given
to handle internet trolls is, “don’t feed
the trolls!” There is a saying, “whatever you feed will grow.” In all honesty, I’ve answered a few of them,
inclusive of the one I talked about. There’s no satisfaction in it though. It’s
best not to no matter how tempted you are. None of us want negativity growing
in our minds. So, ignore the trolls. Don’t engage because that’s exactly what they
want.
Has this ever happened to you, online or in your day to day
life? Have you ever felt attacked because of your beliefs, appearance, the way
you dress etc.? It hurts, doesn’t
it? If you let it, you can be left
feeling as if there is something wrong with you. But, there isn’t. We are all uniquely made by God. You are His masterpiece, the apple of
His eye. He loves you just the way you
are. Allow those to be the thoughts that you feed. The thoughts that God thinks about you. Let
His positive thoughts towards you grow, bloom and replace the negative thoughts of
others.
None of us is identical in the way we think and act. Don’t allow the perception of people who
don’t truly know you to become the reflection you see of yourself.
Trusting Him,
~Bernadine~
