By Teresa Cavaliere
West Palm Beach, FL, USA

Teresa Cavaliere (credit: Joseph J. Bucheck III)

Let me begin with one dictionary’s definition of “friend”: A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

I recently had a befuddling experience on Facebook. Like most people, you probably friend or are requested to friend someone in cyberspace all the time. You proceed to click the confirm button and life goes on. Everyone is posting their beliefs, opinions and what not. You publish your likes, pages, music, movies and the list goes on - never thinking that someone out in the universe may judge your entire being based on your pressing of the “LIKE” button… It’s a bit scary when you think someone can be so hateful as to call you out, in this seemingly carefree forum of connectivity, and proceed to hang you out to dry based on a “LIKE.”

Oh yes, it happened to me!

The surprising thing was that it was someone I know in real life! At first, I was taken aback. Even though I know this “friend’s” political beliefs, I never thought he would roll me up in a ball of mud that is so politics. While I am not perfect in any way, I found it disturbing that this person who actually knows me, who actually sees how I live my life and who actually knows who my true friends are would call me out as a hater of all mankind in a public forum.

So I sent him a personal message asking, “What happened?” After reading his six-paragraph response of spewing hatred based only on my LIKE- ing a particular website, it was clear I was being accused of exactly what this person was doing to me.

Well, it just went on and on until I finally said ENOUGH! I ended the bantering by stating that he was “EXHAUSTING - AND HAVE A GREAT LIFE!”  His reply was, “Yes I am, and I will!”

Well, doesn’t that just say it all!

If this is an example of why people can’t compromise, I totally get it. How can you reach any kind of understanding with someone who believes everyone is horrible if they don’t think EXACTLY “like” he does?

In this real-time life of mine, I have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing many people from so many walks of life. I have great respect for other people’s beliefs. It’s the walk that makes us who we are - not what others tell us how we should be or what we should “LIKE.”

How shallow have we become as a society when we judge someone by just one thing. What has happened to our nation? We spend so much time judging others while ignoring our own behaviors. I’ll just keep doing what I always do, going through life thinking people are generally good because I LIKE to hit the “LIKE” button on life.

Teresa Cavaliere is on the frontlines of today’s America and reports on the curves life throws at her.