To the editor:

It is unfortunate in this highly partisan atmosphere today that most people really have lost a key ingredient in their life and living.

To believe that one’s opinion rises above everything else in life, and even above other people’s thoughts and words and deeds, is at best naïve and sad at the same time.

I think we’ve lost our ability to truly realize who and what we are and why we are here in this lifetime to begin with. No, this is not a religious sermon or a homily or a profession of any particular faith or religious sect.

All this is is a reminder to each of us, including myself, that we have a limited amount of time here in this lifetime, and why waste it with petty arguments, narrow-minded and selfish opinions, or holding a grudge or withholding forgiveness because of something done, that really in the scheme of things is unimportant.

To know that we are, in a sense, living a finite existence that could end at any time, why not stop, think and pause just for a second and cherish those around you that mean so much to you. Because when they’re gone, what we want to remember are the good times, the beautiful sequences of actions and interactions and conversations that truly blessed us and comforted us and even edified and encouraged and enriched our lives. That’s what we want — and not all the other “gotcha” moments or pointing fingers at people for truly selfish reasons.

To know that our thoughts and our words and our actions done in love truly have an effect on everyone and everything regardless of how small or simple they are, truly do plant seeds of goodness and life in everyone and everything when given in love and without expectation.

A great spiritual man of the 20th century said, “We are all one in essence and are only divided by the nature of our thoughts.” Let us begin to only think those thoughts and say those words and do those actions which will benefit every man and woman and know that they have indeed added to the benefit of all creation. The choice is always hard to make.

Steve DiMarzo Jr., Rochester