February 10, 2010

• I really have to ask myself: how far am I along in my personal development if I feel the need to announce to the world in any format how evolved I am?  Probably not as far along as I'd like to be. I have a page on a social network site. One day I received a invitation from someone regarding getting a million people to show their support for gay marriage. I'm certainly pro gay marriage. I think it's a civil right and have no problem showing my support whether it be through voting, writing my legislator or responding to a harmless invitation on a fairly benign social networking site. I posted it a couple of days ago and really didn't give it much thought. Today I found a comment from a very conservative friend.  This friend and I differ quite a bit in our politics and religious views. I tolerate her views and opinions because there are other things about her that I like and enjoy. The comment she left in response to this posting? " Why would anyone waste their time with this?"  I know that she is scared of homosexuality, believes it is sinful and deviant and has no tolerance for it in her life. My responses as the day as progressed have ranged from reading her comment and dismissing it to wanting to make an unkind remark about the waste of time I sometimes feel some of her pursuits are. But I respect her choices because she's my friend and because I thought we were a bit more mature.  So one of the ideas I had today was to ask her why she would waste her time commenting on said waste of time? But that's unnecessary because I know why she commented. I also know it wouldn't take much on my part to turn this into an incendiary discussion and the end of the relationship.   The thing is, I don't want to be incendiary, but I do wish to post things on my little page under my name without worrying about other people's feelings.  I feel that when my friend responded, she did not take how I might feel into consideration.

  This brings me back to my somewhat pompous presumption that I am more evolved than she because I did not respond to her. But then I think, hey, maybe I could just say because I support gay marriage and Freedom of Choice.  I usually stay quiet and not express my opinions on these matters because I don't feel the need to proselytize anyone over to my view point.   I think this is bothering me more at this time because a)it's late and I'm tired and b) this simple response to my posting makes me see how frail certain aspects of this relationship are revealed to be.   This saddens me. I have prided myself on my ability to be in relationship with a variety of different people with divergent viewpoints.  Perhaps I have not been clear enough with some about being friends and respecting differences of opinion. Perhaps with my tendency to avoid areas of disagreement I have mislead this person.  After all, I am respectful of her opinions. I certainly don't tell her what the less courteous part of me thinks are wastes of time on her part. I will say what I have to and let things settle where they may. It will be sad to sunder a relationship. Bugged by this as much as I am, I still hope the things we have in common are strong enough to overcome differences of opinion.

  Blessings abound

  • 10:19 pm
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