“I believe in Tolerance. We are all beautifully unique in this world. Our differences should be more than tolerated– they should be celebrated. Our lifestyle choices, our spirituality, those we love, the work we do, the language we speak, the traditions we claim, how we celebrate our holidays… and on and on. I believe there are countless paths, many translations, and infinite expressions of the human spirit. Each one is beautiful in its own right.”
Several months ago I posted this quote on my Facebook business page along with this very image of my sweet Saluki dog Seva, whom I lost to old age years ago. I’m not sure if it was the words, or the heretical image of the dog, but it prompted two people to comment that I was going to hell, and they didn’t say it nicely. Needless to say, they were kicked out of the party. Full disclosure— intolerance is really ugly to me and I don’t want it hanging around in any form.
If I had to pick one human attribute more critical to wellbeing than any other, I’d say it would be having the strength to express our authenticity in any format. This means that holding a safe space for a person to be real, vulnerable, open, and authentic is more important to me than anything, professionally or personally. I expect it from those in my inner circle. We all get to choose with which energy we surround ourselves.
With any creative endeavor, be it a blog, a Facebook page or a thousand various forms, it’s a constant challenge to express from the heart without worrying about how it might be received by the masses. There will always be that person in the crowd who tells you you’re going to hell for espousing tolerance or perhaps adorning your dog with a flower head-band… That’s okay. That’s their experience, their journey, and in many cases it’s a lonely one. We can only express as we were born to, and undertake the long or short journey to find pride in every aspect of our being.
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