Community Conversations

I love a good conversation. I even love having that conversation with someone or someones I don't see eye to eye with. As long as it is civil and rational and not so filled with heightened emotion. I have been able to have a few of those conversations in the past couple of weeks. With my classmates and with people via blog sites and on my Facebook account. I am so grateful to have all the conversations. I was having a great conversation with a classmate last night. We were talking about different aspects of Barack Obama's past and the presidency and such. It was great because it was 2 people with differing views honestly trying to learn from each other. We really ended where we started, shook hands and said, "See you tomorrow". I have had several great comments on my Facebook account from a little note I wrote. I love it.

I have not always been that way though. I used to get pretty riled up with those that didn't see things the way I do. I still get very bothered by that but I guess I have learned to control those emotions and start seeing people as just that, people. I am pretty sure there was a time when I would have jumped up in arms with some of the folks I have talked with over the past week or so about the Presidential race. I know there was a time in my life when I wondered how anyone could possibly be so wrong while I was so right. I hope those days are gone...they probably pop up from time to time (right Mindy??!!).

I am reminded of several instances in my life where I have had conversations with someone and thought that person was crazy. Looking back those are the ones I have learned from and grown from the most. It is easy to agree with people and get on a bandwagon of good ideas and similar thoughts and aspirations. It is very hard to be challenged and have to think for yourself. Heck, it isn't even real fun to have spend the energy to think for yourself sometimes. But that is how we are made. We are made to take in, process, and act on information and experiences. The taking in and processing can be done fairly easily but the acting on the information is where I have had trouble (though it does take me a while to process info too). I am working hard at being better and having community-minded conversations with people...especially those that believe differently than me.