Thoughts on Opinions

In light of the last few months of happenings, I thought I'd just share some of the thoughts that I've had running through my mind.  

Feel free to ignore them. They are simply MY thoughts.

They started running through my mind when I got on Facebook.

You may or may not have seen all of the posts that have been roaming around. 

If you haven't, you probably live under a rock and you won't be reading this anyway. 

 I've seen some posts and comments agreeing with whatever subject is new that day, and some disagreeing. Some are kind and considerate, while others hurtful and inconsiderate.

And it's lead me to think a lot.

Really, what it all boils down to is so simple. 

Opinions

Agency

Judgement

Respect

Love

We each have the capacity, as human beings, to every one of these things.

We each have opinions, which we are allowed to formulate with as much or as little knowledge and background as we want.

We each have agency, which allows us to make any decision, and think any thought that we want to.

We all judge others. We are taught not to--but it is inherently done, regardless of what we have been taught.

We each have the ability, and, in my opinion, the responsibility to respect each other, and each other's opinions.

And love. We each have an inherent ability to love others--or to learn to love them if we don't.

As I've read through opinion, after opinion, after opinion, and expressed some of my own; I keep coming back to the same thoughts. And President Uchtdorf says it best.

Why, with all of the problems that are already inevitably in the world, do we feel the need to create more problems? Why do we feel the need to act stubborn, bitter, or resentful towards people? I wish I knew how to answer the why, because if we're being honest--the answer is that WE DON'T. We DON'T need to be rude. Resentful. Stubborn. Bitter.  And we don't need to make other people feel that they need to be either.

President Uchtdorf also says:

In the scheme of things, are leggings important? What about bikinis? What about what I ate for dinner? What about my choice of major vs yours? What about how much money I make vs how much you make? What about where I work vs where you work? How about how I identify/define myself?

Nope. Nope. Nope. 

None of those things are truly important. What really will be important in the end? 

Our relationships--with God, with family, with friends, with strangers.

Our ability to love, and to forgive, and to forego judgement. (And, if I'm being honest, I'm going to need a lot of help and time to master any of those things.)

Our faith, and our belief in God, and the way that we have manifest it on the Earth. 

Now, I'm not saying that I think we have a free pass that allows us to not worry about standards such as modesty, honesty, language, etc. I'm not saying that I disagree, as a Christian, that marriage is ordained of God as being between one man and one woman.

I am, however, saying that we need to all take a second to take a step back and remember that we are all children of God, with agency. With the ability and the necessity to form opinions on our own. With the desire to express our faith in, dependence on, and love for God in our own unique ways. 

Honestly, President Uchtdorf's simple words say it ALL best:

"When it comes to...

As a young adult, it seems that I have been reminded, quite frequently in my short life, that life is fragile--that it is short, and that we should be taking advantage of every opportunity we have to learn, to love, to appreciate, to grow--and not to ridicule, to put down, to fight, or to hate. 

Stop taking time out of your life to ridicule others for their decisions and their beliefs.

Stop bickering over FaceBook about how you believe someone else is a sinner--because obviously when you're doing that you are proving that you are NOT a saint. 

Stop focusing on negative.

Take a step back. 

Compliment someone.

Smile at someone.

Do something little every day for someone else.

Be kind to everyone--no matter how rude they are to you.

Show love and respect, and you will get love and respect in return. 

After all, isn't America supposed to be 

"One Nation, Under God INDIVISIBLE"?

Regardless of your stance on the supreme court decision to allow same sex marriage; on Caitlin Jenner's sex change; on wearing leggings vs wearing pants; on owning guns.  The list goes on, and on...  

There will ALWAYS  be something to disagree with/argue about if you look for it. 

 Stop looking for it. And, if you really want a challenge,

START looking for the positive. 

Live life more like THIS. 

You will be happier! I promise! 

(and so will everyone who follows your social media ;))