"The belief that there is only one truth, and that oneself is in possession of it, is the root of all evil in the world."
~ Max Born
I don't know if it is
the root, but the belief that there is one truth, one right way, one answer, or one perspective and that oneself is in possession of it (and those that see things differently are wrong) is a huge cause of our human struggles.
Consider:
Marital unrest
Border disputes between countries
Unyielding positions between political parties resulting in no action taken
Wars waged over religious differences
Often breakdowns in relationships are due to stubbornly holding on to "I'm right."
With wisdom we understand that we must be willing to see things differently.
I recently saw a simple drawing that demonstrated how two people with different perspectives could both be "right."
Two men are standing with a large circle between on the pavement. In the circle
there is a number. It is positioned in a horizontal way so that when the man on the left looks down at it, he sees the number 9. When the man on the right looks down at it, he sees the number 6.
They argue on and on.
"It's a 9!"
"It's a 6!"
Unless they both become willing to stand in one another's shoes - so to speak - or walk to the other man's position, they will forever be in disagreement with both feeling "right," possibly in
a self-righteous way.
Today, let's open our minds and hearts and be willing to see, feel, and think differently.
Let's start by listening to one another.
With love,
Charlene
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