Stand Up

One of the things I love and hate the most about myself is that I say what I think and how I feel, almost regardless...regardless of the situation, regardless of the company, even regardless of the repercussions. Now, to be fair, this has developed much more intensely over time and with age. It's the direct result of a combination of having more self-confidence and less concern for always pleasing others.

Let me give you an example. I absolutely abhor cigarette smoke, and I think it is completely disrespectful and inconsiderate to smoke in an enclosed space with other non-smokers (ie. where it's prohibited). In this stated conundrum, Sunshine enters and doesn't ignore the issue, rather she takes the bull by the horns and confronts said offender and typically in a less-than-agreeable manner. And, yes, I'm aware I'm talking in third person.

Truthfully, handling the situation in such a way doesn't make me feel better or right about the situation. It's rather simply that I am appalled by people's behavior sometimes. There are rules in place for a reason. There are legitimate reasons why the laws state that you can't smoke on buses, on school grounds, and thankfully, in bars and clubs where I live. Beyond it being gross, which it is, it infringes upon my right to a clean and safe environment.

The unwanted consequence of these "tirades" are the innocent bystanders and friends. A friend of a friend mentioned recently that she hopes she doesn't become like me, always speaking my mind. Though I genuinely regret that I make people, especially those I care about, uncomfortable, I don't want to change who I am, even if I felt I could. Someone has to stand up for the unjust, the undeserved, the unethical, and we all must pick our causes to champion. Smoking just happens to be one of mine. I'm sure that I will discuss others in blogs to come.