It’s no secret that since the beginning of time humans have had issues getting along. Most of the time, these arguments, fights, wars, etc. are started because of a difference of opinion or even a lack of information.

I have yet to meet anyone during my occupancy of this planet that enjoys it when people do not agree with them. Don’t worry, its normal. The reason being, it is difficult to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. The only person that knows exactly what it is like to be you, is you. My sister and I grew up in the same house, with the same parents, and many of the same friends. Even so, we still had very different lives that helped to form our very different opinions.

The point?

While our own opinions may be the easiest to understand, they never tell the whole story. Our opinions, on their own, are missing the experiences of millions of other people who live in this world. When I look back 10 years, or even 5 years, its scary to me how much my opinions on certain issues have changed. Things I would have argued over, lost friendships over, and voted for are no longer things I necessarily agree with.

The reason? Because, my experiences have shaped my opinions in a different direction. Unfortunately, there are things in life that we can never understand until we experience them. Until a baby knows what it feels like to be burned, telling them the stove is “hot” has no meaning.

When I hear people call others “close-minded” because they have a different opinion it makes me cringe. Being close-minded has nothing to do with having a different opinion. Instead, it has everything to do with the inability to ask questions. The most successful cults are derived from a methodology of blindly following, and if we’re not careful, our individual beliefs can become cult-like, where we are cut off from any form of reasoning.

Take the time to embrace the different opinions around you. Ask questions about things you don’t agree with and be willing to listen to the answers. Never give in, never give up, but always give respect.

“Responding to hate with more hate will only breed more ignorance.”

“The fool reacts. The wise respond.”