Sandra Saxon Burnsed
If I’ve learned one thing in 61 years and 11 months it’s that I am not always right. And it’s that a half-truth is just the same as a half-life. Despite how we like to paint things there are a lot more shades then just black and white. But here’s the kicker, just because a lot of people don’t think or believe the same as I do. Doesn’t mean I hate them or want to see harm done to them.
A great example of this is my father-in-law. Now for a really long, long time me and him have even seen eye to eye on a lot of things politically and even a bit morally. But it hasn’t stopped us from loving and respecting each other. Now like a lot of people of his generation, much like my Mom, he can be a bit insufferable. But we have much more in common than we’ll ever have apart. I mean I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my Mom. And my wife certainly wouldn’t be here if not for my father-in-law.
But even more than just blood, there’s the friendship factor. Through social media I have made friends all over the world. And not just with people of the same cultural backgrounds. I’m on speaking terms with Europeans, South Americans, Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Muslims, Jewish, Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, Buddhist, Hindu, and atheist. And one thing we all hold in common is a genuine curiosity to be seen and heard, and there is nothing wrong with that.
It brings to mind a young college student in which I communicate with frequently. She is of a particularly unpopular faith in this country. Through her I see a lot of what she sees from her faith and life. While I may not agree with some of her beliefs, I still have empathy for her. As I get older the importance of always being right becomes less important. It’s the heart and how you treat others that creates harmony and change.
A great example of this is my father-in-law. Now for a really long, long time me and him have even seen eye to eye on a lot of things politically and even a bit morally. But it hasn’t stopped us from loving and respecting each other. Now like a lot of people of his generation, much like my Mom, he can be a bit insufferable. But we have much more in common than we’ll ever have apart. I mean I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my Mom. And my wife certainly wouldn’t be here if not for my father-in-law.
But even more than just blood, there’s the friendship factor. Through social media I have made friends all over the world. And not just with people of the same cultural backgrounds. I’m on speaking terms with Europeans, South Americans, Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Muslims, Jewish, Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, Buddhist, Hindu, and atheist. And one thing we all hold in common is a genuine curiosity to be seen and heard, and there is nothing wrong with that.
It brings to mind a young college student in which I communicate with frequently. She is of a particularly unpopular faith in this country. Through her I see a lot of what she sees from her faith and life. While I may not agree with some of her beliefs, I still have empathy for her. As I get older the importance of always being right becomes less important. It’s the heart and how you treat others that creates harmony and change.
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