Me too Meredith. I do know that one of the more valuable lessons I've learned in life is that whenever there's someone in my life who really irritates me - a thorn in the side kind of person - it's ALWAYS because something about that person reminds me of something in myself that I don't like or haven't been able to deal with yet. As soon as I find myself "irrationally" disliking someone, I know now to determine what it is about that person I don't like, then look into myself and sure enough, I'll find that character trait or issue right there inside of myself - then I know what I need to work on. It's amazingly accurate.

As for mean and hateful people, I can usually at least bring myself to pray for them and for the people their hatred touches. I don't have to allow their toxicity to infect me, and I try not to be in constant proximity to hatred. Everyone has a story, and I know that God knows what's in the heart and story behind any person's cruelty...I can only pray for healing for that person, and healing for myself tooo, so that I never become that bitter or hateful myself.