Have you ever heard the saying, “Stirring the Shit Pot?”

The Urban dictionary’s definition for this saying is:

Someone who loves to proliferate the tension and drama between 2 or more feuding people/groups in public to get a raise of people in hopes of starting a shitstorm of drama and uncomfortable conflict, sometimes for personal gain but oftentimes just for the thrill of confrontation.

Ex: Mike is always spreading rumors about “whats goin’ on” between Josh and Emily but we know he just loves to stir the pot.

Why do so many people thrive on division, conflict and unrest? Busybodies, slanderers and disagreeable persons can cause havoc in an environment, sowing discord and stirring up trouble.

Everyone has something in their life that has contributed to the amount of shit in that pot, I don’t care who you are, no one is perfect. Sometimes this proverbial “pot” is a persons way of letting go or getting rid of things to create a more harmonious life.

Most of the time no one cares or gives it a second thought, until someone comes along and gives it a stir, allowing that simmering pot to release some of the foulness, hostility and anger that was placed in it, bringing to surface some things that, over the years had finally settled to the bottom.

I have come across way to many people with a spoon in their hand!

What is wrong with peace, tranquility, unity and harmony?
Most persons want to avoid needless strife, and although there are times when standing for the truth will stir up strife, the people with the spoon in hand aren’t even seeking truth… they are seeking trouble.

For example, a husband and wife married for 25 years and are looking forward to another 25. They have placed many items in that pot over the years… maybe a lie here, a hostile word there. They may have even placed a larger “ingredient” in the pot, maybe a years worth of affairs that they have worked through to find peace and harmony with each other. They were able to forgive and get rid of the things that clouded a bright future together.

Now, someone comes along, peeks in that pot…. And runs to grab a spoon! All the hostility, anger, lies and deceit that had settled to the bottom has now been brought to the surface. (Humans are capable of forgiveness, but without memory loss, life altering events are never really forgotten.)
Was the person who grabbed that spoon jealous of the couple? Of their peace? What made him want to bring all those things to the surface?

What is the “shit-stirrers” personal gain? Probably nothing…. Maybe boredom, or jealousy. Whatever the reason, it now creates strife in other peoples lives.

What if the infidelity of this couple happened in the first couple of years of their marriage, they worked it out, never making that mistake again, and went on to create a family. Their children were taught marital values based on the relationship of their parents.

What gave an outsider the right to destroy those values by showing those children what their parents had done before they were even conceived?

What gave him the right to place doubt in their eyes? Why?!

They try to fill a void with this type of negative energy. They come from a place of fear and respond from a place of fear. People who come from a place of love and overall compassion realize that drama just detracts from the reality and does not offer anything that is constructive or healthy in life.

Most of us, at sometime in our lives have had that spoon in hand, and some may have even walked over to that pot…. Then there are those who have actually given it a stir…. Standing back to see what comes to the surface.

Colleen
http://www.myspace.com/momslife