"Let me never fall
into the vulgar mistake
of dreaming that I am persecuted
whenever I am contradicted."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
[Classic post from 5-13-14]
Being contradicted may often feel that we are less than we thought we were; less smart, less wise; less enlightened. I think that if we feel strongly about our point of view, or better said, that it resonates with us, there is no reason for us to change where we are and how we see things. At the same time, it is creative and certainly open-minded to hear that contradiction and see if any of it resonates with us. There is always something to learn, and perhaps what someone else is offering as a contradiction can turn out to add to our resonance creating even more of a bond.
Often, we may initially realize that we are mounting a defense to a perceived attack on us. It seems sort of logical or rational to become defensive. In this reaction, we might imagine a counter-offensive to convince the other party in the virtues of our point of view. This is the ego in control and does not allow us to learn anything from the exchange.
Why would we think that we must convince another to our point of view? Expressing our view is one thing, trying to defend it against contradiction is another. If we were really paying attention to the exchange and our feelings, we might realize that our position doesn't really resonate with us at all.
If where we stand resonates, it is beyond the ego and requires no defense. It just is. Allowing others to have alternative positions and celebrate them at the same time, is love and respect.
That's A Good Place To Be And Why It Feels Good.
Spread Some Joy Today--Being that which resonates within you is pure joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment