That’s not my slogan.
Although, when I was younger, it could have been.

I saw it written on a bumper sticker as I was walking to the bank from my office. It was on the back of a big, blue Ford pick up. I wished I could have met the owner. I wonder if he (or she) was as tough as that sticker announced. This person must be pretty awesome tough wise.

Do you have one?
We often use slogans, political parties, bumper stickers to ID who we are.
Or maybe who we want to be.
Or maybe to make others think we belong to the cool group.
That we fit in.

Or at least I did. I’d look for a catchphrase or team or slogan to sum up all that I was…in my mind of course.
I was always looking to be tough. A hard ass, but with a soft spot for certain folks.

I once had a sticker of the American flag that said “Love it or Leave it” on one of my first cars. The inside, down by the steering column.

Yeah the inside, I didn’t want my Dad to see it.
Not that he was anti American or anything he just didn’t want me putting ANYTHING on the car he bought! “It’ll ruin the paint!” I was forced to be a closet patriot.

I’d get angry if someone said or did anything I thought was unpatriotic. Really, I did.
Maybe because I grew up during the “Cold War”. It was always us vs them. Good (us of course) vs Evil (USSR, or really anyone who disagreed with us).
I just wanted to show the world I belonged.

Look around, people everywhere spout their opinions on everyone else. See all the angry posts on Face Book. He’s the best! Or, He’s the worst! I’m right! You’re not!
I’ve done it too.
I would do it because the success or failure of others made me feel better. About myself.
I voted for the winner. So that makes me a winner too.

Once I drove by an old manufacturing site on a one way street and noticed the flag flying at the site was torn and tattered. I was outraged! I envisioned myself storming into the owners office with the flag in my arms and then throwing it on his desk and ordering him to replace it. I’d show him!
I would think it… but I didn’t actually do it.

I guess I needed to prove myself. To myself.
I needed to be opinionated knowing everyone else would be better off hearing it.

Maybe it’s our culture that says the louder we speak; the more people will listen. It seems we end up screaming our views on the first lucky person we meet and but eventually they stop listening.

Look at any election. Who’s screaming? If not the candidates then it’s the supporters of those candidates, if not them then the media takes up the cry to get us screaming at each other. Sooner or later we will all stop listening.

I’ve decided I don’t need to scream any more.

Maybe I stopped listening because I’ve known so many others who were just as opinionated as I was and I just got tired of hearing it. No more slogans!

It was hard at first but I’ve come to the conclusion that no one wants to hear my view on anything unless asked. I still have the right to my own opinion. I’m just giving up my need to always share it.
At least I’ll try.

I think I’ll have more friends because of it.

JT

Here’s a throwback..