After I ran the Coyote Run during P.E., I told my friend that I needed to improve on my five-minute time.  Because he ran the race a minute less than I did, I asked him, “How can I get faster?”  He responded, “You’re Asian, so just pretend you’re running to Panda Express on Black Friday.”  At first, I was offended, and wanted to slap him.  “Bro, that’s racist!” I responded.  Then, I realized that I was overreacting to a harmless joke, and laughed.  

I’ve realized that maybe, just maybe, we all are a little too touchy.  I’m no sociologist, but I’ve seen people overreact.  When our teacher tells us we are wrong, we throw a fit.  When our opponent trash talks, we have a temper tantrum.  And when we accidentally bump into strangers on the street, they rage at us.  But, when our friend makes a racist joke, we can laugh it off, right?

Maybe, sensitivity depends on our relationship with each other.  If there is an established trust, compassion, or love, the offensive words aren’t as damaging as they would have been if they’d come from a stranger.  I mean, the joke in the beginning was pretty racist, and people have the right to be offended by the comment.  But since I knew that he was my friend and did not mean to hurt my feelings, I was able to laugh it off.  But, if I were told that by a stranger, I probably would have been much more offended.  

Isn’t it like a glass bridge?  If the glass is strong enough, you could trod atop it without breaking it.  But, if the glass is too weak, you may fall through.  Same with relationships; if the relationship is strong enough, like the glass, you can make jokes without your relationship being hurt by those words.  But, if it isn’t, your relationship may fall through.

So, how do we stop people from being so sensitive?  Maybe, before we make an offensive joke, make sure that we have a good relationship with the friend, and that they’re comfortable with us.  It all depends on the trust between our friend and ourselves.  So, be sure the glass is strong enough, and your friendship won’t fall through.
And, finally, I’m sorry if I offended anybody in writing this article.  Aren’t we friends?