The strange thing about humanity is not that we are the
same, but that every one is different. We may be made of the same material, but
that is where the commonality stops. The wonderful thing is that we come across
all sorts of people, and there is no limit to the amazing new people you can meet,
know and love. But it seems unreasonable to me that we expect to find people just
like us. It is just not possible for we are born at different times, or in
different places, or in different situations. We grow in our own unique
ecosystems, and even those in one family learn to think and react differently. Siblings
even have different memories – and certainly different takeaways – of shared
times!
So how can we expect someone to have the same sensibility or
disposition as ours? And how puerile to be annoyed because they do not.
It is absurd to dislike someone else for a contrary attitude
or opinion. After all, it is not only theirs to own, but unavoidably, inevitably
theirs alone. We do not have to like or even understand their perspective, but as
mature, smart, sophisticated humans we must accept it as rightfully theirs. Now,
if we cannot live with it, we move on. We must take leave of a person with thoughts
or sentiments that are toxic to our life philosophy. But a contradictory
sentiment, even if wrong, is as valid to them as ours is to us. The only time
they lose the right to that opinion is when they use it to hurt. Because then
that is a criminal act. I believe enforcing a viewpoint onto anyone else is an act
of violence.
We can never call ourselves civilized or advanced until we
learn to not only accept, but respect, our differences. When we can acknowledge
that what we think may not actually be right. When we are strong enough to
change our stance to make way for newer, more encompassing, more kind pathways
to comprehensive growth.
We are one certainly together on this blue dot, making our
own better, and our own worse. But we
must acknowledge that our oneness is defined
and beautified by the differences that
mark each one as one of a kind.
