Opinions

I thought of a few different titles for this post: Actions Speak Louder Than Words, or Taking a Stand. I chose the most boring one. :) This is just going to be a jumble of thoughts rolling around in my head this morning, so watch out.

I am the kind of person who takes people's opinions personally. I know I shouldn't do this, but I do out of habit. But then I am able to sit there and talk myself out of it and know that it's okay if someone has an opinion that is radically different than my own. They still like me. Hopefully. I really try to see people for who they are, not just as a walking collection of opinions and beliefs. They are people like me! With hopes and dreams and wishes and pains and heartaches as real to them as mine are to me. That's what I seek to see when I interact with others.

So about the opinion thing, the way that affects me is that I am extremely wary of sharing my own opinion with others. With so much propaganda floating around out there I think it's pretty easy to hear a certain word or phrase and automatically label someone and place them in one camp or the other without really listening to them or seeking to find out who they are trying to be at heart. And since that's what my biggest goal is: to really listen to others and try to see them as they see themselves, then I avoid sharing my opinion because I don't want someone to hear it and automatically think, "oh, that's the side she's on." And then go on to assume that I think and behave the same way "everyone else" in that camp thinks and behaves.

I'm different! I really don't feel like I fit in to any one "camp." There are things that I feel very strongly about but I keep my mouth shut about them because it's more important for me to show someone I love them than to risk the chance that they might think that I think poorly of them because of my opinions. But maybe other people aren't like me and don't take people's opinions personally. Maybe I should be sharing my opinions about what I feel strongly about. But I just really have a hard time picturing myself doing that!

This kind of makes it a challenge for me to really want to get involved politically in any way. I think it's hard enough that I'm "labeled" as LDS because I am very active and involved with my Church. It is so frustrating to me when some people choose to live by the labels and won't even have a desire to get to know someone for who they are once they've labeled them. I think it's rather ridiculous and ironic when people from one camp accuse people from another camp of behaving a particular way because more often than not, they are behaving exactly the same way. (I catch myself doing this on occassion as well and I'm glad that I do because then I can change!) I think most people's misunderstanding with others come as a result of objectifying and labeling them rather than seeking to see them as a fellow human being with needs and wants as valid as their own.

When you hear the phrase "take a stand" what do you think that means? It's weird because when I think of what "taking a stand" means to others I think it means speaking opinions and beliefs to others, I think of getting involved politically, of writing letters and attending rallies and then I feel kind of guilty because not only do I not do those things, I really don't even have a desire to do them for the reasons I've already discussed. And I don't want people to think that I don't feel strongly about things or that I don't care or that I'm afraid to. But then again, I shouldn't be so concerned of what others may think of me, huh. :)

I really feel like actions speak louder than words. So I put my effort into living what I profess to believe, and if I can't master that, then what sense does it make that I go around touting my beliefs to everyone else? My way of "taking a stand" is to live from my heart, to seek to see others as people, not objects and to be true to myself. I would hope that people can know what is most important to me by observing the way that I live my life. It doesn't mean that I won't ever get politically involved, attend rallies, write letters, etc. It just means that those things are not what "taking a stand" means to ME. I think it's hard work, it takes integrity, determination and perseverance to take this kind of stand. Most importantly I believe it will make a profound difference. It won't be a difference that those accustomed to instant gratification will be able to see. It's the kind of difference that changes lives for generations to come but that may not even be recognized as "profound" until long after I've left this mortal life.

Here's another random question... are opinions and beliefs the same thing? If not, what's the difference?

And I'm still trying to figure out if the reason I don't often write book or movie reviews is the same as why I don't like to share my opinions about current issues or if it's just that I'm resisting putting my brain to work.

Another thing I take personally is a lack of comments from my blog readers. lol. I know I shouldn't because it's not like I go around posting comments on everyone's posts either... but I like comments. They make me feel special. So anytime you're looking for a way to make someone feel good, just leave a comment on Lindsay's blog, ok? :)