Difference.

"It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races." - Mark Twain


These last few days have been...interesting. I have been subject to a lot of negitivity and hate due to nothing more then a difference of opinion. There are people all around me bringing others down, throwing away friendships, and it got me thinking. Why is it that we as a society are so afraid of opposing opinions? What is it about difference that scars us so? Sometimes it amazes me how differently i see things as compared to the views of others. I wish there was a way that i could put myself in their body for a moment and see why they have the views they have. And vise versa. But sadly, that isn't possible. I guess i just dont understand people's tendency to turn their back on difference, on what they dont understand. Im the kind of person who will respect your opinion if you respect mine. I couldn't care less if you think differently then me, if everyone thought exactly the same way our world would be a pretty boring place. But, if there is one thing i have observed over these last few days it's that, while many people may agree with me and my views, many people do not. And to be honest, that's ok with me. What's not ok with me is the fact that so many people let something as insignificant as difference in opinion destroy what use to be something so good. For example: I use to have this friend named Kim. She was my best friend for six years and one day, because of a difference in opinion, she decided she no longer wished to be my friend. She hasn't talked to me in quite a few months now, and that makes me sad. It makes me sad that one argument,one bad moment in time could erase all the good ones. This is the part of difference i do not like, the way people let it define a person. I think that too often, we as a society let difference define our life, our beliefs, the people we choose to keep company with. We spend so much time focusing on the differences that we DO have that we forget about the ones we DONT have. We train our eye's to only see what we dont have in commen instead of seeing what we do. I think this is the biggest problem i have with the world. The thing that upset's me the most. But as much as i may want to, i cant change it, i cant change other people. All i can do is try not to be this way, try and be open to difference, and hope that one day, things may change.