Nit-picking ourselves to death

Today my husband went home early to let the plumber in to work on a leak in the shower. Meanwhile, I went and got my H1N1 flu shot, as well as the seasonal flu shot. When we were both home, he told me that he read about how the two "wayward" pilots who landed 180 miles off course admitted to being on their laptops, which is why they missed their destination. As he's telling me this, I'm wondering, isn't this being a bit nit-picky? Not that the pilots should be applauded for missing their destination, but why all of the intensity of focus on their misdeeds? How many headlines have we read about a pilot being drunk, or a pilot killing his crew, that have made less waves than the "wayward" pilots? We read these headlines and they disappear just as quickly as they appeared. It begs the question, are we getting to be a society where nit-picking and over dramatization are becoming the norm?

On a daily basis, I cannot even count the many times I hear people complain about this minor issue and that minor issue. And really, many issues are minor, and not worth the energy used to complain. Case in point: assistant principal sends out an e-mail to myself and another teacher about how the kids cannot play outside for extra recess on Fridays because of an altercation with a kindergarten student (the K student punched one of our students). In the same e-mail, she states that the kids can play games in the room. "Fine," I think, and move on. Apparently others did not move on, and this became the source of disbelief and criticism of the assistant principal who sent the e-mail. In my mind, the bottom line is: the kids who deserve a reward will still get their reward, and no students will be punched in the process. Isn't that what's important? Is it really even worth it to send around e-mails about the situation that never really was?

To go back to the story about the pilots, here's what I see: no one was hurt and everyone made it back home just fine. Sure, it was cause for disciplinary action, but is this really something worth the media's attention?

As we continue to read similar headlines and judge each other for other actions, ask yourself, are you being a bit too nit-picky? Have you made things better by pointing out others' ineptitudes, or have you just sprayed your bitterness around for everyone else to feel? Really, take a good look. In my mind, it's the big picture that counts.