No One is Right All the Time, No, Not even Me!

This morning I was listening to, yes, a podcast - John Meachum on Armchair Expert (Dax Shepard.)  John Meachum is an author/presidential biographer.  While I didn’t love the episode, (just not all that interesting/entertaining for my tase,) something was said that I just absolutely loved and wanted to share.  Dax was essentially asking him if he is a Republican or Democrat and he was explaining that he has voted for both Republicans and Democrats and will likely continue to do so.  He said (not verbatim, but close,) “no one person or side has a monopoly on insight.”  I just love this.  I truly believe this and think that is just  a good way to say it.

As many of you have heard me say, I know absolutely nothing about raising kids. ..I don’t know how all you parents do it.  While I don’t know how to tell anyone to raise kids who believe this, I have to say that I very much hope for a future where more and more people feel this way.  We don’t all have to agree on things, but I wish people would be more respectful and understanding of one another...and willing to at least listen to and be open to other views/ideas.  Because I agree with/believe this statement...there is no one person or side that has it all “right.”

This is a little different, but it made me think of a couple things/examples. . .

First of all, I remember that not all that long ago Ellen DeGeneres was seated with George W. Bush at an event and posted a picture of the two of them, seeming to enjoy each other’s company.  She got so much backlash on seeming to be nice to/enjoy her time with Bush because she is a lesbian and he didn’t support marriage for gay couples.  I thought that was just silly.  Just because he doesn’t support a decision that she made/something she believes, feels etc. isn’t a reason to be terrible to him (and vice versa.)  I like that it can be possible for people to at least be civil/friendly to those with opposing views, even if those views impact oneself.  With no one person/side having it all “right” all the time, maybe we should all be at least willing to listen to others’ ideas/views, even when they are different from our own.

Secondly,this is kind of different, but it also made me think of my mom.  She is so incredibly supportive and genuinely so, of my sisters and I, even when we make decisions she may not agree with or do things differently than she would/does.  I just love and respect her so much for being able to do that. . .to genuinely support us, even if it is different than what she thinks/feels.

So please, everyone, be willing to listen to and be open to others’ views/ideas.  No one person/side has it all “right,” so by doing so we can learn, make better/more informed decisions and just create a better more tolerant world!