Are you being questioned and pushed? Is there any point in it?
August 2023
Maybe I just tell myself this to make myself feel better. To keep me from screaming bloody murder on a regular basis.
Or maybe I’m onto something.
Odds are good you are a human being who disagrees with another human being. About something. Maybe vehemently disagree. Maybe you are baffled that this human could ever think “XYZ” when you think “ABC.” And those two things cannot be mutually exclusive – you can both agree on that at least!
And maybe (I’d put some money on it) the person you disagree with is someone you love, someone you are close to, someone who if this disagreement gets out of control it could possibly tear you apart.
I’ve watched (and Googled) with the best of them as all of these sources tell you to “End the relationship” or “Keep the dialogue open.” (Dialogue? What dialogue? These are one sided soliloquies that last hours!)
Yet, I keep coming back. Have I not learned my lesson? Do I like feeling delusional and as if I’ve lost my mind on a regular basis?
I think there is something more than just my delusions.
All these disagreements and conflicts I had (and that happen around me) have contributed to some exponential growth. Growth, knowledge and wisdom that I don’t believe I could have gained in any other way.
I’ve sharpened and honed my beliefs more in these times than I have in the times being surrounded by others of echo chamber agreement.
I’ve also learned a lot more about nuances that though I knew were there, I couldn’t have understood in any other way.
And I definitely could not have learned it all from the internet – because again, intent vs. content. Most of what is out there is content (angry, bitter, shocked, frustrated, vehement, and intense content.) There is intentional content but finding through the chatter, noise and extremes…that’s a lot of time and no guarantee it’s a good one. So getting personal insight through those I disagree with, makes it easier for me to discern good content vs. crazy ranting.
Maybe I’m telling myself this to make me feel better – but I think that’s part of the challenge and the relationship with each other and our Still Small Voices.
If I can handle it in the smaller things around me, maybe I can handle it better when it’s a larger challenge or change coming at me. One that asks me to take a leap or step, asks me to do something I’ve never done or be someone I promised myself I would never be.
I’m not saying put yourself in the opposing camp for fun (I mean, unless that’s your thing) – but maybe sometimes the opposition is just what you need to step into yourself. And into this world so you decide instead of the world deciding for you.