That’s My Opinion!… by JoAnn

I have learned, through trial and error, that it’s okay to not agree 100% with the opinions of someone else. Even a loved one. We are all created with our own unique DNA and set of fingerprints. There is no one exactly like us in the entire world according to Science. So of course, we all have a unique, made just for us, brain.

Why would we agree 100% with anyone? Seems to me the odds are much greater that we will disagree. The thought of this gives me much peace. It frees me from the burdens of feeling misunderstood or being misconstrued. It allows me not to second guess my own opinion, but to be comfortable with my beliefs while keeping an open mind to others.

More and more I am noticing that people in general have become more aggressive, (for lack of a better word), when voicing their own opinions. It really doesn’t matter what the subject, as long as it’s something they are passionate about. Is it human nature that we must voice our personal opinions to communicate? Some of us surely seem to have an innate need to do so. I use to find this behavior very annoying when I was younger, even downright stressful. I admit there were times I became angry because someone’s opinion was different from mine. It took me a while, (how many years I won’t admit), but I finally learned that our opinions can be as unique as we are individual. And that being said, life is just too short to squabble.

Thomas Jefferson famously said, “I Never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend”

I love that! I sadly admit that I have indeed lost several dear friends in my life due to a difference of opinion. It broke my heart each time. I learned that a friend who can continue to love, respect, and enjoy my company no matter our differences, is one to be highly treasured! They are rare and a true blessing.

So, listen to your brother or sister with an open mind and heart. You just might learn something new, or dare I say, change your own opinion.