I came across a tweet today that got me thinking about the way we treat people, particularly those who have different perspectives. The strange thing is that whenever I have discussions with my friends and family on social media, I've been accused of being "too nice" or criticized for not standing up for myself, because I'm willing to let people have their say. In addition to that, I strive to refrain from responding in such a way that the person feels criticized, laughed at, or undeservingly accused for having an opinion. This will lead me into a soap box of something or other, so that's all I'm going to say for the moment.
The truth is that behind those differences of opinion are some super awesome people, and anyone who lets those stupid opinion barriers shut them off from the rest of the person is really missing out. It's a beautiful thing to be passionate about something. After all, it is passion that drives people to get things done, but along with that passion comes a caution. Being over-zealous in a cause or idea can result in the loss of something else, and I've unfortunately seen that in our society, and particularly in the people I personally know in my life. It rips people apart who were once close and breaks hearts. People's lives are affected and faced with difficult realities. Communication is discontinued. Disrespect, dislike, and hate increase. These things aren't beneficial to society.
My personal recommendation would be this: Sit back with that family member, friend, or neighbor and listen. That's it. Sincerely listen and refrain, no matter how tempting, to retort. Keep the mouth shut and let them have their say, even if you don't agree with it. Reserve that until it's your turn if it's still needed, and choose your words wisely, particularly if it's a tender subject. I find with a lot of subjects they're already extremely aware of the argument, and they've chosen their side, so it's a waste of my time and words to repeat it. Learn to look at the good aspects of the person, because despite the opposing views, there are often good intentions behind the choice, and there are things completely unrelated that makes that person absolutely awesome. It might be a talent or ability. It might be the sense of humor. It might be athletic ability There are so many things you can learn to appreciate in a person even if you don't see eye-to-eye on everything, and let's face it, no one sees eye-to-eye on everything. It's better that way anyway. It helps us grow.
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| Overcast Moon |
