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1 min read musings

Axioms

Let me tell you with my fully betitted chest that no value is so precious that it should not be questioned on occasion.
A shelf full of leather-bound philosophical tomes.
Photo Credit: Negative Space on Pexels.

I'm on the cusp of some big changes that I can't discuss quite yet, but they've got me thinking about things. Before I proceed, though, a plea for patience: Like so many others, I'm suffering under the double whammy of a heat wave and wildfire smoke. Forgive me if I'm not articulate.

Remember what it felt like to be an outsider.

If you enjoy authority in any kind of hierarchy, be it professional or social, remember that you were not always where you are. You cannot disrupt a system while enjoying its benefits - so, do not be afraid to entertain new perspectives.

Question your values.

I come from a background of religious fundamentalism. I am not that anymore. Let me tell you with my fully betitted chest that no value is so precious that it should not be questioned on occasion.

Empathy is not acceptance.

You do not have to agree with someone to see where they're coming from, nor do you have to accept their viewpoint. Nevertheless, you should try to see it. You may learn something helpful.

You don't know everything about anyone, even yourself.

I am not the same person I was twenty years ago, ten years ago, one year ago, or even one day ago. Neither are you. Each of us is constantly learning and evolving, and we are capable of things that would amaze us. This quality is value-neutral. What you do with it is not. Do not exclude someone based on a five-second snap judgment, but rather see what they do with who they are.

Endnote: Thank you, Maggie Weber, for the word "betitted."

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Published by:

Shelby Lane

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