Since I started blogging more regularly and began interacting with other bloggers. I’ve noticed a reoccurring theme: feelings are constantly hurt. We are constantly looking at who is blogging and tweeting about us. We check to make sure any props we give to another is returned. There are bloggers, for instance, who will stop commenting on a blog if the blogger won’t return the favor. And bloggers aren’t alone in this. (I just notice them more.)

Think of all the drama that Facebook (and similar social media sites cause). There is that person who friended you just out of curiosity. There’s the person who creates a status or note to see who will respond and if you don’t he/she is upset, feeling unloved. There are the unreturned text message, that is followed by a second one 30 minutes later and then the final ultimatum text message basically telling the recipient to respond or consider the friendship over.

This happens over and over again, in hundreds of different ways. Suddenly I feel like I’m back in grade school when there are certain kids that always pick on the others. And there are kids that blow everything out of proportion seeing cruelty when there isn’t any intended. There is something in our human nature that cries out for acceptance and recognition. We want that attention and feel affronted when it is denied us.

I wish we could all just take a step back, take a deep breath and get real. Not everyone is attached to their computer or phone 24/7. There are emergencies, unexpected life occurrences, and normal every day tasks that pull us away from the barrage of technology making instant communication impossible or respond commenting on blogs difficult. There are well-intentioned people who leave a thoughtful comment with no ill will – even if it doesn’t come across that way. We unnecessarily read too much into the words typed out before us.

So, the next time you read something or perceive something as a personal attack on you – take a step back and look at it from the other person’s perspective. Most people are not ill intentioned. They mean well. We’re the ones that are often giving it the negative spin. Why not find the positive in it? There would be a lot less wounded feelings if we all did that.