Hello to everyone in the Weekend Experiences community! Today I am joining one of the writing topics suggested to us for this weekend. Among them are, discomfort. That which we dislike about today's society. An issue that we could talk about for hours but I will try to be as objective as possible because this can move emotions and be suggestive. Let's start with it.
Something that bothers me about society in general is the fact that there is little tolerance for the beliefs of others and the need to convince the other. And by this I am de referring to politics, principles, convictions, philosophies, religion, etc. Any position one has, whatever it may be, can be enough to start displeasing someone who thinks the opposite. And I say this because for several years now I have felt some pressure for not being a believer.
I grew up in a Catholic home and was a believer until I was 15, when I decided to take another direction in my spiritual experience and eventually found something that was more valuable to me: I found myself. I knew that by doing this, to stop being Catholic, would inevitably bring several consequences: the rejection of many of the people I loved who were still devoted to the religion. It was hard because when you expose your vision for the first time you feel vulnerable and people, for some reason, feel attacked, violated and upset. So I got a lot of lectures about how I was losing my way.
But I always felt very confident about what I felt and who I was, so I gradually became less and less concerned about other people's opinions on that subject. And I especially remember a passage from the English writer Tolkien in his book, The Lord of the Rings, "Not all gold glitters, nor all wanderers are lost." Many still think I ramble on and my stance will break down at any moment but years have passed and I still stand by my position. I believe in nobility, love, loyalty, justice and individual growth (personal, spiritual, academic, professional, etc.).
What I am getting at is that it is tiring and foolish to try to convince the other. Especially in matters that do not compete with anyone else but oneself. I don't need to explain the reasons for my life decisions and my beliefs, to break it all down would be equally useless because although I have done it, they do little to understand what I have explained and only focus on giving an answer full of judgments. That is why I believe that to each his own as I try (indeed, I do not) not to intercede in the faith of others.
The solution I have found to this type of situation is to find a middle ground of satisfaction. For example, I get along well with my friend Mariangela, she is a Jehovah's Witness and although she talks to me about Jehovah and his passages, I listen to her with affection because I know it makes her feel good and ultimately she wants the best for me. From her vision, it is a duty to give the word to others as an act of love. I don't criticize her, I don't judge her, I love and respect her. Moreover, I encourage her in times of discomfort to hold on to her faith, to Jehovah. Sometimes it is good to give in, it avoids many bad moments and it is foolish to fall into arguments because finally hearing about God will not hurt me, as I said above, my conviction is unshakable.
Finally my friends, I don't want to leave without letting you know that what I am telling you here is with the purpose that little by little we become a much more tolerant and understanding society, less focused on who is right, who has the best God or who is lost or not. These are personal questions and everyone must live their own experience, know themselves and learn from themselves. Try not to convince the other, let him go his own way and do not underestimate him. It is a task that can be difficult but very satisfying. Let the other person be. In a world where we live bothered by so many things, letting go of such a burden is a great achievement. Thank you very much for stopping by and I send you a big hug, see you next time. Happy beginning of the week.
All photographs are my own
