By Pattie Mihalik

What do you do when you think people are becoming too mean and heartless?

You’re probably wondering why someone who is always “up” and always an optimist as I am would ask such a question.

I guess the answer is I just read one more mean-spirited comment that had me wondering, once again, what is happening to people.

I have always believed in the goodness of people. It’s still a basic belief of mine because I’ve seen it played out time and again.

Yet I can’t help but be a bit down when I see a good person take on a nasty persona.

I don’t get into politics because that would really depress me.

When a social media site gets too political, I bow out. There is nothing positive to be gained there for me.

Please, let me apologize right now for even using the word politics in this column. If I could think of a way to tell you what happened without using the word politics I would do it.

But what I don’t seem to be able to avoid is when a friend turns any conversation or event into a political diatribe.

I have been friends for decades with a very bright guy. Although we now live far apart, we stay in touch via Facebook.

I know that he’s a good, caring person.

So I was more than a bit stunned at the reaction this good and caring person had when it was announced Rush Limbaugh had advanced lung cancer.

He wrote that Rush Limbaugh deserves to die “a long, painful death.” He hoped it wouldn’t be a fast death because “he deserves to suffer.”

I wrote back asking what ever happened to his compassion.

He insisted he was justified in his feelings.

I stopped corresponding with him at that point. I really wanted to say I hope you or a loved one never has to suffer from cancer.

I know from personal experience with Andy the horrors of having cancer eat away at you. There is no human being on earth I would ever wish to see suffer like that.

I walked away from my computer with a heavy heart.

What is happening to us that political differences can drive us to such extremes?

Please don’t tell me it’s politicians that are polluting our souls.

We are responsible for our inner being, and when we lose our humanity, our compassion and our kindness, we are the ones at fault, not the politicians.

When we get callous like my friend seems to have gotten, it’s not because someone “made us” feel that way. It’s because we lost something important and don’t even know it.

Fortunately, I found a cure for the despair I was feeling. It’s hanging out with good people.

I rediscovered that those with whom we hang out have a major impact on us.

When I was a little kid my dad wouldn’t let me pal around with certain kids because he said they “were bad for me.”

I told my dad I knew better than to let other people influence the way I thought or behaved.

Decades later when I remember those conversations I realize my dad was right back then, and even at my advanced years I can continue to be influenced by my friends.

If I am with people who complain all the time and have a negative view of life, it’s hard to stay upbeat while I am with them.

People do, indeed, rub off on us. Let me give you a positive example.

When we are around good people who do good things, we, too, find ourselves doing good for others.

When I was a bit down at the meanness I’ve been hearing from some people, I went to a St. Vincent de Paul meeting and came out of there feeling sky high.

For those who don’t know about SVDP, it’s a spiritual organization that focuses on helping the poor.

As I sat there listening to stories from some of the members, it proved, once again, the goodness of people.

One man who interviewed a young mother who came to SVDP asking for food immediately started to fill a box for her.

But the woman said she couldn’t accept anything that had to be cooked because she and her three young kids were living in the woods.

She left before he learned more about her dire situation. That night, when it turned cold, he and his wife couldn’t sleep thinking about the mother’s circumstances. They trudged off into the night walking through the woods to find her.

It took two nights but they eventually found her and helped get her and her children into temporary housing. She is now enrolled in a program that will help her find work to support her family.

Many of those who are poor or homeless are grateful for the help — so much so that they come later to join SVDP so they, too, can help others.

One man told us he was so depressed he wanted to end his life until someone at SVDP truly took time to listen to him and to offer help.

He is now a volunteer in the furniture ministry.

Stories like that reaffirm my faith in human nature.

It’s good to be reminded of the goodness in others.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.