My Favorite Color is Blue ... What's Yours?

I hang up the phone from yet another political survey and wrinkle my nose with annoyance as I try to remember what I had been doing before the phone rang.  It is nobody's business but my own who I plan to vote for next week ... and my thoughts wander ...

Everyone is unique and has a variety of differences ... differences in appearance, talents, personality, heredity, experiences, etc., and with that, everyone also is entitled to their own opinion!  We each have an opinion on little things such as our favorite color and our preferences in food.  We also each have our own values and ideas and ways we view the world.  We have our own views on what it means to be a good parent, a good child, a good teacher, employee, supervisor, community member, community leader, and even the President of the United States.  There are many more people in the world than I can count, but I know for a fact, it is absolutely impossible to agree with them all!

We may have some opinions of which we are not very convicted ... we may choose blue for some things, but brown for others ... and we may feel like eating pickles one day and cupcakes the next.  But on other issues, we might hold much stronger convictions ... such as on the subjects of parenting, religion or politics.  We may hold strongly to making it to every game or recital for our children or making time for family meals ... we may feel it is mandatory to make it to church every Sunday morning ... and we may be a staunch Republican or Democrat...

Of course, we probably believe our own opinions and decisions are correct or we wouldn't feel so strongly about them.  However, it is important to remember to respect the different decisions and opinions of others as well.  Again, we are all unique and are entitled to our own opinions.

For that matter ... imagine if everyone in the world had the same opinions ... there would be no variety, creativity, conversation or debate.  There would be no new ideas, change, moments to learn from or opportunities for growth ...

My thoughts go on and on and I suddenly remember what I had been doing when the phone rang ...  I proceed to dial the number for Don Jose's Mexican Restaurant and await an answer on the other end of the phone.  "Yes, I'd like to place an order" I reply when my call is answered.  I order a taco salad, an avocado tostada and two burgers with fries ... although my family agrees on fitting in our family meals, we don't all agree on the same types of food ... but that's okay ... we probably won't discuss the election either!