A return to grace

Listening to the conversation around a business dinner table, I found myself trying to stay away from the conversation as it began to center around what was wrong with society and basically the world in general. If you are a regular reader of this column, you know that I try and remove myself as quickly as possible from anything I perceive as negativity, and this conversation was devolving quickly in that direction.

Remaining quiet and checking my phone to try and avoid being drawn into the discussion didn’t quite work out the way I had hoped. Before I knew it, the group turned their attention to me and asked me what I thought. e good news is that I was already prepared with my response, it’s my same response whenever I nd the people around me focusing on what is wrong with the world instead of what is right.

After placing my phone on the table, I looked around the table and one by one, I made eye contact with everyone before saying, “A return to grace.” I will share that whenever I give that response the rst reaction is usually confusion, followed by cynicism, and then possibly a little mocking, questioning my sincerity. Standing my ground, I made it a point to once again making eye contact with everyone before restating my position, “Yes, you all heard me correctly, a return to grace.”

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Remaining silent once again, I waited for someone to ask me what it means to return to grace. And it never fails, someone will always ask me to elaborate on that statement. Returning to grace means that we give everyone the same grace that we would expect when we screw up. I haven’t met the person, the company, the politician, or anyone else who hasn’t screwed up royally. And I include myself among the elite when it comes to making mistakes, I am pretty sure I am close to the top, if not at the top, when it comes to screwing up.

Are society and the world at large teetering on the precipice of total chaos and anarchy? OK, maybe that is a little dramatic, but then again maybe not. Are there people whose actions and words are driving us crazy? Absolutely. Do we sit stunned as we read or watch the news, wondering, “What idiot thought that was a good idea?” Or maybe we just let the anger and resentment fester inside of us until it reaches a boiling point or creates an ulcer. And then we share our outrage with anyone who will listen. And even if there is no one to listen, we go on a rant on social media, posting our anger and frustration, continuing to carrying the weight of what’s wrong with the world on our shoulders. A return to grace means that instead of playing the blame game, we play the love and forgiveness game. I know, I know, I have heard it before that this is not a realistic approach in dealing with the nonsense and idiotic decisions being made and the ridiculous

SEE NORTON, P20

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