I have loved writing all my life.
When I was quite small – nine, ten, eleven years old – I would sit down to write at the table in our family home… The table was always piled high with newspapers and books – paper and paints, pencils and colouring pens.
My mother was always piling the piles into new piles, and putting them at the bottom of the stairs for my sister Rosy and I to take to our respective rooms… We often stepped over them – much to her frustration!
I would sit down at the table and open my writing book… ‘Mummy’ I would call… ‘yes darling?’ ‘Can you give me a title to write about…’
She would call out some ideas from the kitchen… I rejected many, but just as she was nearing the end of her ideas and her patience, I would plump for one and start to write and write; the words tumbling out.
In 1971 when I turned twelve, I wrote a whole book ( not a very long one!) about our African grey parrot called Polly Armstrong… My mother typed it up for me and we punched holes in the paper… `we threaded string through and hey presto I had made a real book with pages that turned…
And so today I sat down to write and I called to Anadi ‘Please give me a title to write about…’
He sat and thought a bit and then said ‘How about “How to stay true to yourself amongst other people’s opinions…” I didn’t reject it as I had my Mothers’ first few ideas… I put fingers to keys and here I am…
Opinions are just opinions; they are not set in stone or immoveable objects. They are of the person at the time – of course sometimes a persons opinion appear to be set in stone and they appear to be immovable, because often they can never be shaken or investigated…
The dictionary describes the definition of an opinion thus :
‘A view or judgement about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge…’
Many people feel that their opinions are right and being in the face of this can be a difficult place to stay true to ourselves – when another is making us wrong because of our choices in life, our words, our deeds, the path we are choosing to tread… Making us wrong because the thoughts we have, the ideas and beliefs that hold true for us, are different to theirs
One of the keys to staying true to ourselves amidst the noise and haste, and amidst the opinions of others, is to refrain from judgement, blame or shame towards them – to refrain from immoveable opinions ourselves.
If we hold a view, have an opinion then it is important that we hold it with a light touch and validate the differences in others, their ideas, their actions their words and deeds and views…
‘Do unto others as you would like done unto you…’ In other words…
Live and let live
Love and let live
Connection arises from validating difference. When we validate another, however strong their view, then it becomes easier to turn that energy back to ourselves and to validate ourselves even if how we think and feel is different to another, be that strangers or our closets friends and family…
There is no need for differences to divide.
We can unite through acceptance and validation of one another…
‘United we stand divided we fall’
And we stay united by staying true to ourselves and honouring the truth of the other…