Notice.

Think of my blog as an Opinion Page.

I'm not an objective journalist.

I'm just a girl with a passion. an opinion. and a desire to express those things through the beautiful written word.

If you don't agree with me. That's okay.

I'm not on World News.

I have a free blog (that happens to be public) where I- from time to time- choose to write to share my heart, my passions, and more recently, those little eyes that stole my heart.

So imagine my surprise to find an absurdly divisive, hateful, and biting comment from someone who knows me only from a page on the internet.

A person who left no opening for discussion of our disagreement. Oh boy, do we disagree.

Someone who obviously wanted the opportunity to use hate and sarcasm to perpetuate his/her own perspective on my blog.

Ya'll, we may disagree on a few things here and there...That's to be expected and really? it's okay with me. But we need to be able to sit down at the table and hear each other out in a respectful way

Hate? Anger? Sarcasm? Biting Remarks?

Do nothing but beget themselves. And I won't take part in all that nonsense.

Change won't come by tearing each other down and destroying those who disagree with you. The only thing that comes from all that? Is more hate, more bitterness, and more division.

The truth? is that I'm thick skinned--it hurts but I can take it-- BUT I don't have room in my heart or in my life for that.  I won't engage in that kind of back-and-forth.

There was a point in time when I was certain my mom and my friend Randee were the only people reading my blog. But as a public blog that shows up on Google searches from time to time, I knew that could change.   I chose to keep my blog public because there are people who might need to hear our story. I know there was a time when I was always blog-stalking in hopes that I would find someone who might understand how I felt. Believe me, I've been there.

But. 

It's still a personal page. It's still my page.  If you can't be nice? I don't have to share your opinions with the world. It's really that simple. Be courteous, be kind, be respectful, be honest. If your honesty is in contrast with mine, that is A-okay with me. As long as you are respectful about it. capish?

Here is the FB post I wrote shortly after reading my first-ever  most-recent hatemail.  I think it just about sums it all up for us, friends.

• I moderate the comments on my blog, World. That means, if you want to write a horribly hateful and divisive comment because you disagree with what I write or the choices we've made as a family? I will simply delete what you wrote, refusing to perpetuate that same hatefulness to the rest of the world. It's that simple. Disagree with me? Let's talk about it in a respectful and honest way. The End.