Accepting Differences

Rule 20: We were all created in His image, and yet we were each created different and unique. No two people are alike. No hearts beat to the same rhythm. If God had wanted everyone to be the same, He would have made it so. Therefore, disrespecting differences and imposing your thoughts on others is an amount to disrespecting God’s holy scheme.

My teacher used to say that every soul has its own journey and hence everyone will choose his or her unique path to enrich soul’s evolution. It’s so true. When you look around you see that every person has different way of perceiving things. The same event is perceived in a different manner by different people according to the conditioning of their minds. Isn’t it wonderful? That’s what makes this world interesting, that’s what makes it so exciting and that’s what is constant source of inspiration, motivation, fun and creation!

However, that’s what is also the constant source of stress, disrespect, anger, violence and destruction. Our different styles of thinking create difference of opinions and beliefs. Sometimes we stick to these opinions and beliefs so stubbornly that we completely overlook the others point of view. In fact, things become extreme when we are imposing our opinions on to the others. 

Why do we cling to these beliefs so much that we are willing to sacrifice our lives but not concede in any manner to another’s point of view? What is it that makes us so attached to these beliefs? Is it our experiences, our lifetime of conditioning into living a life in certain manner or social or communal thinking of our environment or is it our egoistic approach in which what only matters is ‘My way’ is the ‘right way’?

In my opinion all of it plays a role. We have our own share of experiences that has formed us as a person. Our mind is so conditioned that we usually see ‘our reality’ as the ‘only reality’. In fact, our mind sometimes distorts the obvious facts to show us what we actually believe to be true. For instance, if you have seen a snake in one of the paths in the woods twice, then it is very likely that you will take a simple rope as snake in the same path because your mind has already started associating that path to the snake presence. And so is the case in everything. Our mind shows us threats and rewards based on our experiences. 

What happens when we discover that everyone has a different way of thinking and forming opinions? Do we respect the difference or do we feel indignant that others do not feel the same way? Do we value the others opinion or we outright reject it feeling that ours is better or in certain cases the only reality that exists? It all depends on how much we are willing to let go of our own ego and how much do we value people around us and how much social pressure do we have. 

Ego plays a big role when it comes to respecting others’ opinion. You can only see someone else’s point of view once you feel the other person as your equal. Narcissistic people consider their opinions almost as the universal truths because their ego is bigger than empathy (or in most cases a lack of empathy) in them. People who respect and value the other’s right to differ are the people who have empathy. Such people are only not dependent on their maps; they focus on territory. They enjoy the entire spectrum as that’s how nature has intended it to be. 

Sometimes we are too attached to our own opinions simply because that’s how the world around us, our community, our social strata and our family thinks. We are eager to conform because that’s what gives acceptance, power and righteousness. Stepping out of that zone will be dangerous and may bring upon us social disapproval and sometimes even ostracizing from the community. 

Shamz’s rule about respecting differences and NOT imposing your own thoughts is so relevant and moreover even in today’s world. In fact, I feel that people are becoming more and more intolerant and restricted in their thoughts in the name of religion, politics, ideology or beliefs. Fear is driving them to feel insecure and hence all kinds of violence are so wide spread now. 

Empathy, compassion, respect and enjoying the world with all its contrasting beauty, is what I am striving for. I can’t say that I am not opinionated. In fact, in certain cases, I am too opinionated but this very fact that I know my folly and accept it, is enough to bring subtle changes in me. I hope to be a true disciple of Shamz and respect the differences by becoming more and more aware of the beauty and diversity it brings to the entire spectrum. How do you feel about dealing and respecting the differences?