There are times when it is easy to feel judged by people in our world. They do things differently, they feel differently, they have different ways of looking at things than we do. And that is what makes them interesting to us. It seems that some people, however, look at what makes us, well, us, and find fault, rather than accepting our differences. They have a definition of PERFECTION that we don’t meet. However, if we all looked at the world through the same lens, we would be bored, boring and not worth pursuing for conversation.
I want my legacy to be I understand others, accept others, stand for others and grow from others. It is far better for me to learn from different perspectives than to only think one way. There is no PERFECTION! Having an open mind helps me to cultivate energy I would not have if closed to other thoughts if there was only one way of being.
If there was only one way to be a winner, to look, to feel, our world would be very limited and limiting. I suppose every artist would paint the sky in “sky blue,” and how much we would miss by not enjoying the gorgeous watercolors of pinks, hazy violet, dusky gray. I long to see our sky through the myriad of artists’ eyes, forever enhancing my perception of the view I have when looking out my window.
Needless to say, we all bring our experiences, our understanding, our needs to any given conversation or activity. Like all of my age group, we have lived long enough and have been through enough to know that the thoughts we have may differ from any group in which we find ourselves. To that point, if it comes up in conversation, I am the first to mention that I have an ostomy, and how grateful I am for this lifesaving gift. Because I am discussing parts of the body not mentioned in “mixed company” (whatever that is!) some may feel uncomfortable. My goal is to help others to feel comfortable since I am just like them, however, I have a pouch at my abdomen to catch my bodily waste.
Having an open mind to what makes us more alike than what makes us different is something we can cultivate…a muscle we can develop. And an easy way to do that is to exercise our minds the next time we are in a situation where someone is telling us or doing something that seems foreign…learn from them, ask questions, be in there and be a source of support. One never knows when they will be challenged and what we have learned from another may help us exponentially. And lastly, the best gift you can give anyone dealing with something you don’t understand is…Don’t judge, just be their friend!