River-shaped Rocks.......

I've had this conversation a few times over the past few weeks. It's about bias and assumption, for the most part. Every situation we walk into, we walk in with our own personal biases and assumptions. These biases and assumptions may be of the situation itself, circumstances that lead to various situations, and even of the person/people with whom we are meeting at the table. The biases and assumptions we carry may stem from our diverse upbringings, our life experiences, our varying beliefs, and things we've been told or taught by those we trust.

These biases and assumptions are, in a sense, natural. They are very human things to have and to hold. While pondering this whole thing, a few weeks ago, and considering what it is I do now for a living, I made a decision. My choice is to see everyone that I meet and see as beautiful. I choose the bias of love. I choose to assume the best of you all. Choosing to do this lightens my spirit, and keeps my mind fresh and free of unnecessary negativity.

It is not until we have open and honest conversation that we learn about one another. Imagine the number of us that have missed out on great things with great people, due to assumptions and biases. Imagine the amount of bias and assumption that has been eliminated, simply by talking to someone. We like to generalize and group folks into boxes with labels. The sadness of this is that the folks in the boxes have no idea that they've been labeled in such ways, and are confused as to why they are treated in certain, and in unfair ways. In this day and age, you can't take anyone's word for anything, blindly. It is imperative that we aim and attempt to speak in truth, owning our biases and assumptions in honesty.

A key to this is keeping feelings and emotions in check. Truth comes as is, and probably could not tell you what a feeling is. Imagine a kid, looking out of a window, upon her mother's flower garden. There are little cute bees all over, doing what they do in the spring time. The little girl is fascinated by them, thinking they are the awesomest and coolest things she's ever seen. She wants to go outside and play with the bees in the flowers. Her mother tells her she can't because the bees would sting her. The youngan cries and pitches a fit, but her mother stands fast and refuses to let her go out. What pain is worse, the truth about the bees or the sting, possibly multiples stings, of the bees?

I feel myself starting to ramble.......

We are rocks, shaped by the many rivers of life. We are all different in shape, size, color, and mineral. I've never been to the grand canyon, but I've seen pictures, and find it absolutely beautiful! I've also NEVER known anyone to come back from visiting it to say that it was ugly and unworthy of their time and money. I've never found a mountain river to be hideous, no matter the multitude of rocks beneath its surface.

I choose the bias of love and the assumption that you all are beautiful souls, capable of great things.

Yes, we are river-shaped rocks, but we are also rocks that shape rivers.

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.......