I’ve met many people over the years that have shared opinions and views that were worlds apart from my own. When I stop to consider that there is more than one way to establish a point of view, which in turn is an expression of life experiences and how we’ve adjusted along the way, I must respect others opinions. But there is this other part that fails to understand people who are unable or unwilling to simply live and let live. This is something I cannot accept.
Whether we want to or not we all live by a set of cultural rules that were established a long time before we were born. These rules have become norms and mores that are in place to protect us, but they ultimately protect those who are in power, those with money and status. In doing so, there exists a false sense of secure reality. For often we do not concern ourselves with the plights of others. Those who have less than us, who have traveled the path of most resistance and fallen a couple of times while running away from the monster in the woods and getting bitten more than twice. The rules aren’t in place to protect these people.
When I look deep within myself, I find that some of the ideas I’ve fostered in the past would be viewed as repugnant to my current self, although not crimes against anyone’s humanity. If I believed I had some sort of personal or professional (intellectual, spiritual, financial) advantage or privilege over another person, where did I view them in terms of my life, my existence? Where is the dynamic between responsibility and privilege and where does humanity fit into all of it? I consider whatever privilege I have and truly consider myself lucky. Although I can be a little self-serving I am often very generous. I can do better. We all can, but we often make excuses (myself included.)
There are times when I think that man created religion as a means to avoid responsibility. Especially true since we will never reach Gods perfection or greatness. Yet we continue to accept our transgressions, our weaknesses and imperfections and behavior in the manner that our established power and wealth or lack there of allows us to. We’re left dazed, confused and even more skeptical.
This deceit is abhorrent yet it remains; thrives and is played like a game of chess. The real wealth in America is the ability to sell a dream. The reality is something else altogether.
Three things I’m working on:
Appreciating natural beauty even more than I already do.
Finding and appreciating the love and goodness in others.
Reciprocating freedom of mind and thought.
image by ~ tina zhou
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“When I stop to consider that there is more than one way to establish a point of view, which in turn is an expression of life experiences and how we’ve adjusted along the way, I must respect others opinions.”—>This is one thing we must do in life, but unfortunately most people don’t “stop to consider” only give brief though to ideas/variations of expression etc.
When you say you consider yourself to be lucky, i think that you’re absolutely correct!!! We are all lucky in many different aspects of our lives, but it’s up to the individual to recognize and appreciate this luck so to speak and treat every individual as human and equal. The lesser value approach based on the haves and have not & don’t is horrible and very prevalent in society to say the least.
If one would love others like they love there God, life for every one would be exceptional…individuals have so much love for someone they have never seen and don’t know if they will ever see.
All one needs is to put an ounce of that love for our God toward one another and learn to see, appreciate the goodness and love within each other.
We all need to take stock as you have done and make the necessary adjustments, but of course for most that will never happen. Being in ones comfort zone is by far way to easy, to step outside the realm!!!
Great piece btw!!!
Mellogyrl´s last blog ..The End
Thank you so much for your in depth response to this piece. Some of these thoughts have fostered in my mind for many years and as you well know, with growth comes accountability. It’s a natural progession and I’m currently on one wild ride. However wild it is, it’s nice to know that I can give myself a humanity check every now and then in an attempt to stay on track.