"Live And Let Live"

Take a deep breath. Your trapped for an evening, at a dinner party, where the seats are assigned, and your sitting next to a couple of religious fanatics. They are proselytizing their doctrine, and there is no room for discussion. Arguing with a fanatic is like trying to wrestle with a grizzly bear. There is no room for debate and you will feel as your head has been ripped off.

When faced with a fanatic, whether it be a religious nut, a macrobiotic crazed vegan, or a conspiracy theory kook, just take a deep breath and become the observer. These people are often so stubborn in their beliefs that you simply cannot crack open their minds for another perspective.

This lovely couple sitting next to you, is so dearly holding onto their belief system, because it feeds one of the five major human needs. This need is “significance”. We all need to stand out of the crowd and we hold onto ideas that make us feel special or unique.

My son holds onto his long hair. I hold onto yoga. Some people may have a plethora of tattoos, while other’s have immense wealth. We all need to stand out in certain ways to create a sense of importance from the crowd. This feeds an essential human need.

This human requirement for importance through significance is a wonderful quality. It only contaminates humanity, when we have to pontificate our path as the correct path, and view others choices as incorrect or inferior. There is room for everyone. Variety is what makes the world go round.

In this world there is room for the rich, the poor, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Agnostics, Buddhists, meat eaters, vegans, weight lifters, gays, heterosexuals, feminists, hippies, yuppies, Democrats, and Republicans. The list can go on. It is 2012 and it is time to embrace both the similarities and the differences in mankind. It is truly time to “Live And Let Live” (a slogan from the 12 step movement) and let everyone have the dignity of their own path. Meanwhile, it is now time for humanity to offer respect, non-judgement, love, and tolerance.