…… while the above verse is spot on true, humans are becoming more and more inclined to folly. And shame.
No one wants to actually listen to reason, read up on facts, or take the time to ABSORB information anymore. People want the bare facts and they want them now – the condensed version – as in, the least they can possibly get away with.
Soak up information like a sponge? Most people would shout, “That takes too long!”
When it comes to attempting to see other people’s views or respect where they’re coming from, the deal is off just as quickly. All the average person wants to do is spout off their own opinions and spray everyone within reach with THEIR thoughts.
When did we become this way? At what point did we throw aside the notion of respecting another person’s opinions and beliefs?
It may sound whackadoodle (sorry for this ridiculous word, it’s a personal favorite) but I kind of blame social media a little bit. People want to have their say and even go so far as to ask people to like their opinion.
Literally.
It’s a problem that is the worst kind of problem…. a growing problem. One that shows absolutely NO sign of ceasing. So, no, this post isn’t trying to turn the tide – simply because some tides simply will not turn. This post is just to remind me and to remind you to keep from going the way of the average Joe and Jane. Always listen to what others are saying. Respect their opinions, even if they’re different from your own.
Short story: When I was in middle school, I befriended a girl who dressed very differently from the rest of us. Her name was very different from the rest of us. Because I was a Southern fried country bumpkin, I never managed to pronounce it correctly. She laughed one time and told me to just call her by her initials.
That was great by me – those I could manage.
We were a few weeks into the school year before I actually made the move to be her friend. My friends and I didn’t have anything against her clothes or her name. We thought she was kind of “stuck up” (a term, at that time, that meant snooty). One day, it hit me – what if she was shy, not stuck up? While no one else was around (after all, I didn’t want them seeing me get snubbed if that’s how it turned out), I walked up to her and introduced myself. PE was about to start and I asked if she’d like to be on my volleyball team.
To my relief, she said she’d love to and she asked if I’d teach her the rules. Her smile was adorable and her friendliness blew me away. After I got to know her, I realized that she wasn’t shy so much as she was scared. She was sort of on guard against the comments or jokes she feared would come her way. Jokes because her clothes were different, jokes about her name (she lived in agony each year when teachers attempted her name), jokes because she was… well… different.
The wonderful thing isn’t that I reached out to her. The wonderful thing is that after I did, other girls did as well.
You just never know who will follow in your footsteps when you point them in the right direction.
I guess that’s the heart of this post. Always keep an eye on your own footsteps and a finger on the pulse of your own character. Don’t ever fall in the footprints of others – especially if they aren’t leading anywhere worth going!
Take the time to listen to others, understand where they’re coming from, and respect them for having their own beliefs and opinions. It doesn’t mean you’re approving anything – it simply means you have enough respect for yourself to stay human.
Hope you’re enjoying the beautiful days of Autumn!
~ Joi (“Joy”)