When I was young I thought the road to love…to kindness…to acceptance and to equality would be an easy road to follow as long as everyone had the same thoughts and feelings as me.
We’d all be kind, loving and generous…all people would be free…if everyone in the world had the same thoughts and feelings as me.
There would be no animosity…no hate…no wars…no prejudice…no bigotry…if everyone in the world had the same thoughts and feelings as me.
Alas! That is not the way it is…not the way I’d hoped it would be…because everyone in the world does not have the same thoughts and feelings as me.
Which means we spend a lot of time angry with one another…angry about the things on which we disagree…because you can’t force me to think like you…and I can’t force you to think like me.
And how ironic that because there is so much on which we disagree…that I would end up hating you…and you end up hating me.
And though it’s true hoping everyone would share my thoughts and feelings was my original intent…sharing thoughts and feeling of hatred was not exactly what I meant.
Instead I’ve come to realize on the road to love, to kindness, to acceptance and equality…there are many paths to cross…and with so many paths…it is easy to get lost.
I’m now resigned to the fact everyone in the world will never have the same thought s and feelings as me….but I still pray that whatever path they choose will lead to love…to kindness..to acceptance and to equality.
Yes, there is now an old realist in me who knows
everyone will never think and feel like me….
yet…still….
There is also a young dreamer in me who continues to hope
perhaps
someday
they will.