Maybe just poke them with kindness...

When you feel like someone is doing all they can to hurt you or take something away from you, wouldn't it feel so wonderful to turn and say whatever is on your mind? To say just the thing that will put them in their place? Unfortunately, for me, I have recently discovered the answer is "No". I have never been in this position before. I have been hurt many times in my life, where someone "tried to take me out" and for whatever reason, I usually felt isolated. I felt like no one was on my side; I was the outcast who was left to suffer on my own while everyone supported that very person who had hurt me. I remember wanting everyone to walk straight up to them and tell them that what they were doing was wrong; to not talk to them anymore or fire them or stop being their friend. It has happened again. Someone is out to get me. And this time? I have everyone on my side. Just what I've always wanted, right? Wouldn't it feel great if everyone just stopped talking to her? If she was told she would lose her job if she didn't shape up? And if I just turned to her and said "Ha! No one agrees with what you've done and you are going down! I hope you get just what you deserve!" No, no, and no. I had a moment yesterday, a brief moment where I wanted to say it. But I didn't, and I won't. I used to love the phrase "kill 'em with kindness". Now, when I think of that phrase, it means something very different to me. When someone is trying to hurt you, surely they must have had a lot of pain and sadness in their life to feel jealousy and angry so strongly that they would go so far as to try to snatch happiness away from someone else at whatever the cost. Instead of lashing out, send them some love and hope they find happiness in their life so they won't feel the need to take it from others. Instead of killing them with kindness, shower them with love. This is what I know I should do and what I will do. It doesn't mean I have to forget about myself and my own needs in the process. But what would it hurt to just love her anyway? To hope that she finds all she is looking for, whatever would make her happy, and at the same time not allow her to take mine away from me? But, there is that part of me (hmmm...I wonder what part that is? Oh hello Mr. Ego, why is it again that you EXIST?) that says "Why does she deserve that? She isn't a nice person! She is trying to hurt you! Give her what she deserves!" But what purpose would that serve? It would only make matters worse; she would be even more angry and I would feel nothing but guilt, not a feeling of justice being served. So when she skips around the office whistling to herself as she hangs on to the hope that she will be able to stop me from enjoying my new position, I will just take a deep breath and let it roll off my back. I will be civil and kind, focus on taking care of tying up loose ends here at work before I go, and hope that she finds happiness some day because she deserves it just as much as I do. God loves her just as much as he loves me. "That's hard to believe!" Shhh..ego...shhhh......quiet now.