This past week I got a “Google Alert” that someone had written a blog about me and the “Johnny the Bagger®” movie. It is always wonderful to know that others are talking about your work, but this time I was horrified! This person wrote a sarcastic, scathing blog post about me and the story of “Johnny the Bagger®,” using four letter words and vitriolic accusations. He even called me “a soulless CSP giving her bullshit talk” and felt the whole story was one of using people, calling Johnny the bagger, “a poor exploited Down syndrome teenager whose entire identity the video kindly subsumes into his job description.”
His summary paragraph: “At this point my mind spins, trying to deal with seventeen kinds of horror all at once. First, this guy, in addition to working for the company when he’s off the clock, has doubled or tripled his workload while he’s on the clock. Second, he’s unintentionally done the same for whatever innocent bystander is working the register on his line. Third, how starved for genuine human interaction must we be in our society if something as chintzy as a printed out quote on a scrap of paper can make us come back, over and over, obsessively, for more?”
My first reaction was to want to talk with him to share my sincerity and belief in my message that one person CAN make a difference. Then I realized that with this kind of negativity, I would only be opening myself up to more pain. So, my next reaction was to write to many of my closest friends and supporters and ask them to write a response to him to defend me and Johnny. Fortunately, several of them wrote back immediately and suggested that even though they would be thrilled to speak up for me, it would only add more fuel to his fire, more traffic to his blog, and really accomplish nothing.
Finally, my precious assistant, Laura, sent me a quote that really touched my heart: “Forgive Your Enemies…..it messes with their heads.” And then this morning when I was posting a quote on FB and LI, here are two that jumped right out at me:
* “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” ~Marianne Williamson
* “Forgive those who have hurt you, not for them but as a gift to yourself.”
* “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” ~Dr. Chérie Carter-Scott
How very sad it is that someone can take a story that has inspired millions of people to feel that they are important and can make a difference and has turned it into something negative. Today I am keeping this person in my thoughts and prayers with forgiveness and caring and the prayer that he will be able to find some joy in his life. And in the meantime, I will JOYFULLY continue to spread the message of hope that Johnny so preciously represents.
“Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.”—Mother Teresa
To view this movie yourself, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/johnny. Barbara and the actor who played Johnny the Bagger
