"People take different roads to fulfillment. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost". I'm not sure who said that, but I have always loved that quote. I guess it could also be stated like this, "whatever makes you happy." Of course being happy, while important, isn't life's only goal. However, it's a big one, so I'm going to park there for a minute.
Why does one thing make one person happy, while the next...well, not so much? Did you ever wonder why God made us all so different? We look different, act different, have different personalities, like different music and on on and on--I know, thank you Mrs. Obvious! But why are we so different? How much are we born with and how much is what happens to us in life, how we were taught, etc? I've had enough college psychology and sociology classes to guess, but I'll leave that to the "experts". My point is much simpler than that. I think that so much tension --whether within families, communities, workplaces...or even countries-- can be boiled down to our inability to understand and appreciate each others differences. Yes, I know...again, I have a flair for stating the obvious! Maybe, though, it's something we can work on a little...even if only with one person at a time. Next time you're ready to blow your top, roll your eyes, make a rude remark (or whatever) about something someone did or said that you didn't like, instead take just a moment to think about where they might be coming from. Now, there's a chance that they are fully deserving of your reaction...but maybe not. If not, there will be a little less angst and a little less stress in your life and theirs...and a little less conflict in the world. It's simplistic, I know...but that's the road I like to travel down---you know, it's how I roll.
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