Anti- trust!

I believe I've nearly gotten to the point where I accept the fact that most people are good and all have a selfish side. No imagined barrier can keep them from ever hurting you, even the most religious and spiritually intuned can cause other's pain; but most people don't want to. It's the idea that all people want to is that can become flawed, though many do, most inadvertently do. The internet is a horrible place for the sensitive soul, much too easy to read sarcasm and cruelty into words typed, and yet often a place where people speak things they wouldn't in person, either being less honest, too honest, or simply lacking in feeling. Either way, speaking face to face with someone can never- ever compare; if someone does hide behind a computer- they may not be worth opening up to...

Somewhere, someone is in the exact same situation emotionally and mentally as us- but we'll never know from the barrier's we all put up; it's so much easier to not think about how they are doing, than it is to only see what we assume and judge superficially. I too often let people who've hurt me go into an untouchable category in which anything good that they've said to me becomes lies and deceit.

I've somehow come to believe that there is nothing I can do about the deceitful people in my world, or those who do intentionally hurt me; I can't try to control who and what deceives me or hurts me. Only the atonement will clean up that mess! And that takes effort on the individual- nothing can be forced whatsoever.

What's hard is accepting that many people are not ready or willing to share in your burdens, and that Christ is the only true source of unyeilding love and compassion. The Lord touches our souls so that we can see each other like he sees, which is the most beautiful thing to me about the atonement; rare and beautiful- He is the only sure rock of hope.

I've yet to get to the point where I care more about people than myself, but I've had real glimpses of the freedom of such Charity. It's the key to freedom from so much sin as the Bible states: 1 Pet. 4: 8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." I believe this to be true- because nearly all sin begins with selfishness- and all sin is selfish in one way or another.