Let It Go

The Rant: Let It GO

Yesterday, I was thinking about life and decisions. Maybe, mostly, because I have been listening to "Let it Go" from Frozen, on repeat. Probably more than any little girl in America. And it occurred to me that a lot of our decisions are made on assumptions, best guesses, and "educated guesses". Elsa hurt Anna so badly by assuming that she would hurt Elsa with her powers. We were encouraged to make these kind of presumptions in school to help us take tests and make important decisions. It is a very important skill, you take past experience and apply it to your current situation and VOILA! A decision! A supposition. A choice. A judgement. Wow, that was a quick decline.

I was talking with Mr. McKenna, the younger, the other day about someone. I said that I didn't like someone that we knew a long time ago. He asked "How do you know? You aren't the same person you were then and I am guessing neither are they."
And it dawned on me how many experiences, people, places, things, ideas and thoughts we just dismiss because of our assumptions. 

How much love, support, money, food or fun are you missing out on because of fear? How many fun nights, new experiences, and lifelong friendships are you missing out on because you are afraid of the idea you have in your head of how that person will react to you or how something will taste or how awkward that interaction might be.

I have been a victim of this presupposition before as I'm sure I have been the deliverer of such judgement. I have had people say, "I wasn't sure I wanted to be your friend because I thought you might judge me."  Not only did they miss out on a great friend, but so did I. Someone was not only afraid of my judgement, but also at the same time, made an assumption, a judgement against me. WHAT ARE YOU MISSING BECAUSE OF FEAR OF JUDGEMENT?

I feel like a lot of people miss out on relationships because they are afraid of what the other person thinks. I THINK it is high time we moved away from such ridiculousness and started making judgement calls on people based on their actions. What we should be concerned with is the way that people conduct themselves, the way they treat others. You are never going to agree with everything someone thinks. What would make you unique if you did?

 I am never going to accept and agree with everything that you think. Just like you are never going to accept and agree with everything I think. Why should we miss out on each other? You may want me to think that communism is the way to go and the best way to structure my life, but guess what, I think that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. And you are no closer to accepting that, than I am to accepting communism. THAT'S OKAY.  Let's celebrate our difference, together.

This particular matter is one of my biggest wounds. I have someone that I daily hold in my heart that will not speak to me because of what they mistakenly think I believe. No, they never asked. They assumed. They thought the worst of me and dismissed me, because they thought that is what I would do to them.

Here it is. The call to action! Reach out to the person you think you won't get along with. Make a friend with someone different from you. Try a cumquat. Let go of your fear.